gallop
Americanverb (used without object)
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gallops,
present (3rd person singular)
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galloped,
past participle, past
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galloping
present participle
verb (used with object)
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gallops,
present (3rd person singular)
-
galloped,
past participle, past
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galloping
present participle
noun
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gallops
plural
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a fast gait of the horse or other quadruped in which, in the course of each stride, all four feet are off the ground at once.
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a run or ride at this gait.
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a rapid rate of going.
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a period of going rapidly.
verb
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(intr) (of a horse or other quadruped) to run fast with a two-beat stride in which all four legs are off the ground at once
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to ride (a horse, etc) at a gallop
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(intr) to move, read, talk, etc, rapidly; hurry
noun
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the fast two-beat gait of horses and other quadrupeds
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an instance of galloping
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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gallopsimple
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gallopssimple
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have gallopedperfect
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has gallopedperfect
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am gallopingprogressive
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are gallopingprogressive
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is gallopingprogressive
-
have been gallopingperfect progressive
-
has been gallopingperfect progressive
Past
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gallopedsimple
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had gallopedperfect
-
was gallopingprogressive
-
were gallopingprogressive
-
had been gallopingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of gallop
1375–1425; late Middle English galopen (v.) < Old French galoper < Frankish *wala hlaupan to run well ( see well 1, leap) or, alternatively, verbal derivative of *walhlaup, equivalent to *wal battlefield (cognate with Old High German wal; see Valkyrie) + *hlaup run, course (derivative of the v.)
Explanation
A gallop is a horse's fastest gait, a full-on run. A loud noise might cause a trotting horse to panic and break into a gallop. Any four-legged animal can run at a gallop, although the word most often describes horses and ponies. To run this way is also to gallop: "I watched the horses gallop around the track." You can even use the word to emphasize a person's fast and heavy gait: "My little brother has to gallop around the house a few times before he'll go to bed."
Vocabulary lists containing gallop
Horsin' Around
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Hot to Trot: Animal Ambulation
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"Dragon, Dragon"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Slot stood watching in disbelief in stoppage time when Sergino Dest was allowed to gallop clear and cross to Driouech for a clinical finish.
From Barron's ● Nov. 26, 2025
The 13-2 chance, ridden by Wayne Lordan, set a relentless gallop and could not be caught.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2025
The hotel’s grounds will include a well-known feature from the original racetrack, the life-size bronze sculpture of jockey Billy Shoemaker riding famed racehorse Swaps at full gallop that greeted bettors for decades.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2024
While still very much an open world, with fields to gallop across and deep canyons and caves to plunge into, Shadow of the Erdtree bends toward the layer-cake-like level design of the original Dark Souls.
From New York Times ● Jun. 18, 2024
He leaped over the side of the boat, hitting the water at a full gallop.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Yes, he neighs and whinnies and you can ride him and, as Woody notes, he gallops like the wind.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
The author gallops through vital moments in world history across the centuries but dallies over what seem like niche aspects of medieval French history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
As they walked near the paddock and gallops of Evan Williams Racing, their lights "drew the attention of Mr Williams", Bebb said.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026
“If she gallops as fast as she looks, it’s going to be a good year,” said Brad Keselowski, driver and co-owner of RFK Racing.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 1, 2023
Grassy, it stretched away, smooth as the mown gallops on Watership Down.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Ondas stock rose as high as $11.37 early Tuesday before falling 2% to $10.68, failing to build on its momentum from Monday when it galloped 8.4% higher.
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026
It had been a promising start from the Lions, who galloped into a commanding lead and looked as if they were going to steamroll their opponents.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2025
Inflation galloped at rates up to 14%, and global gasoline shortages closed service stations and created high prices and long lines.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2024
With advancing technology, screening for fetal abnormalities has galloped ahead, and the test behind the new study become widespread about 10 years ago.
From Science Magazine ● Dec. 4, 2024
As he galloped across the British Isles with the helicopters thundering above him, people stood and gaped and wondered what on earth was going on.
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
To be sure, it is possible that earnings could continue galloping higher for the next few years.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
Instead of the oil shock setting off galloping price increases across the economy like in the 1970s, a milder form of inflation will set in.
From Barron's ● May 11, 2026
A video tour of the sanctuary posted in 2023 showed horses grazing and galloping across a vast expanse of the 40-acre property in Julian and a cattery where felines lounged in cat condos.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2026
Bold purple and magenta animations of galloping warriors silhouetted against rustling pines cover entire walls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026
A man had just left for his morning walk when the robot and the wolf came galloping down the street.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
