NYT Dictionary

WALLOP

/ˈwɑ.ləp/
NounVerbWAL-lopwal-lop · 2 syllablesGrade 5

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2021, 2022, 2025, 2026

Meaning

A heavy blow, a punch.

Etymology

Origin: Middle English

From Middle English wallopen (“gallop”), from Anglo-Norman [Term?], from Old Northern French walop (“gallop”, noun) and waloper (“to gallop”, verb) (compare Old French galoper, whence modern French galoper), from Frankish *wala hlaupan (“to run well”) from *wala (“well”) + *hlaupan (“to run”), from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną (“to run, leap, spring”), from Proto-Indo-European *klaub- (“to spring, stumble”). Possibly also derived from a deverbal of Frankish *walhlaup (“battle run”) from *wal (“battlefield”) from Proto-Germanic [Term?] (“dead, victim, slain”) from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“death in battle, killed in battle”) + *hlaup (“course, track”) from *hlaupan (“to run”). Compare the doublet gallop.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

impactwhackwhamwhopbangbashbastebatterbelaborbelt

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 2 recorded puzzles:

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