welter

¹ American  

[wel-ter] / ˈwɛl tər /

verb (used without object)

1. to roll, toss, or heave, as waves or the sea.

2. to roll, writhe, or tumble about; wallow, as animals (often followed byabout ).

   pigs weltering about happily in the mud.

3. to lie bathed in or be drenched in something, especially blood.

4. to become deeply or extensively involved, associated, entangled, etc..

   to welter in setbacks, confusion, and despair.

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noun

1. a confused mass; a jumble or muddle.

   a welter of anxious faces.

2. a state of commotion, turmoil, or upheaval.

   the welter that followed the surprise attack.

   Synonyms:

   tumult, confusion

3. a rolling, tossing, or tumbling about, as or as if by the sea, waves, or wind.

   They found the shore through the mighty welter.

welter ² American  

[wel-ter] / ˈwɛl tər /

noun

1. Informal. a welterweight boxer or wrestler.

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adjective

1. (of a steeplechase or hurdle race) pertaining to, or noting a race in which the horses bear welterweights.

welter British  

/ ˈwɛltə /

verb

1. to roll about, writhe, or wallow

2. (esp of the sea) to surge, heave, or toss

3. to lie drenched in a liquid, esp blood

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noun

1. a rolling motion, as of the sea

2. a confused mass; jumble

Etymology

Origin of welter¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English welteren, welten “tumble, fall over; writhe,” Old English wiltan, weltan “roll”; cognate with Middle Dutch welteren, Low German weltern “to roll”

Origin of welter²

First recorded in 1785–95; of uncertain origin; perhaps from welt in the sense “to beat soundly” + -er ¹, or welter ¹ in the sense “a rolling or tossing about”

Example Sentences

A welter of memoirs and biographies have traced their colorful lives as well as their relationships with one another and with their hot-tempered father, David.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Within the government here in the UK, there is a quiet pride that Britain made its contribution to the welter of diplomacy European neighbours and others have been doing in recent days.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

Of the many double-edged gifts bestowed upon us by the streaming service gods, the welter of celebrity documentaries is perhaps the most remarkable.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2025

Among a welter of preliminary deals was an actual contract between Seoul’s state-run Korea National Oil Corp. and Saudi Arabia’s state-run energy giant Saudi Aramco.

From Washington Times • Oct. 26, 2023

The aim is to confuse the male moth and alter the normal behavior so that, in the welter of attractive scents, he cannot find the true scent trail leading to the female.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

• jumble