wallop

American  

[wol-uhp] / ˈwɒl əp /

verb (used with object)

1. to beat soundly; thrash.

2. Informal. to strike with a vigorous blow; belt; sock.

   After two strikes, he walloped the ball out of the park.

3. Informal. to defeat thoroughly, as in a game.

   Synonyms:

   best, crush, rout, trounce

4. Chiefly Scot. to flutter, wobble, or flop about.

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verb (used without object)

1. Informal. to move violently and clumsily.

   The puppy walloped down the walk.

2. (of a liquid) to boil violently.

3. Obsolete. to gallop.

noun

1. a vigorous blow.

2. the ability to deliver vigorous blows, as in boxing.

   That fist of his packs a wallop.

3. Informal.

   1. the ability to effect a forceful impression; punch.

      That ad packs a wallop.

   2. a pleasurable thrill; kick.

      The joke gave them all a wallop.

4. Informal. a violent, clumsy movement; lurch.

5. Obsolete. a gallop.

wallop British  

/ ˈwɒləp /

verb

1. informal (tr) to beat soundly; strike hard

2. informal (tr) to defeat utterly

3. dialect (intr) to move in a clumsy manner

4. (intr) (of liquids) to boil violently

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noun

1. informal a hard blow

2. informal the ability to hit powerfully, as of a boxer

3. informal a forceful impression

4. a slang word for beer

verb

1. an obsolete word for gallop

wallop Idioms  

1. see pack a punch (wallop).

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Other Word Forms

• outwallop
  verb (used with object)
• walloper
  noun

Etymology

Origin of wallop

1300–50; Middle English walopen to gallop, wal ( l ) op gallop < Anglo-French waloper (v.), walop (noun), Old French galoper, galop; see gallop

Explanation

A wallop is a hard punch or another strong hit. A boxer sometimes wins a match with one single, well-aimed wallop to their opponent. A wallop is not just a physical blow, but it can also be a huge effect or impact. A principal's strongly worded lecture to a group of bullies might pack a wallop, for example, resulting in a major change in behavior. Use this word as a verb and it means "punch" or "defeat completely," so you'll frequently hear it in sports reporting: "The Wizards score the last points of the game and wallop the Pacers."

Example Sentences

All the indications are that Maeda will leave Celtic this summer, exiting with a crash, a bang and a wallop.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

U.S. airlines have already canceled nearly 6,000 flights through Sunday ahead of a winter storm expected to wallop two-thirds of the United States over the weekend.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 24, 2026

Earlier this month, a reporter asked Trump about the slide in cargo traffic at U.S. ports, with the cascading wallop to businesses and workers and customers.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2025

Those primal, instinctive bonds pack a wallop when they're severed.

From Salon • May 10, 2025

I could feel a wallop of rude and ornery coming up my throat and fighting to get out of my mouth.

From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan

Related Words

• clobber
• drub
• pummel
• smack
• whack