- to roll about, writhe, or wallow
- (esp of the sea) to surge, heave, or toss
- to lie drenched in a liquid, esp blood
- a confused mass; jumble
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
wel•ter1
(wel′tər),USA pronunciation v.i.
n.
wel•ter2 (wel′tər),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
- to roll, toss, or heave, as waves or the sea.
- to roll, writhe, or tumble about;
wallow, as animals (often fol. by about):pigs weltering about happily in the mud. - to lie bathed in or be drenched in something, esp. blood.
- to become deeply or extensively involved, associated, entangled, etc.:to welter in setbacks, confusion, and despair.
n.
- a confused mass;
a jumble or muddle:a welter of anxious faces. - a state of commotion, turmoil, or upheaval:the welter that followed the surprise attack.
- a rolling, tossing, or tumbling about, as or as if by the sea, waves, or wind:They found the shore through the mighty welter.
- 1250–1300; Middle English, frequentative (see -er6) of welten to roll, Old English weltan; cognate with Middle Dutch welteren, Low German weltern to roll
- 6. confusion, tumult.
wel•ter2 (wel′tər),USA pronunciation n.
- Informal Terms, Sporta welterweight boxer or wrestler.
adj.
- Sport(of a steeplechase or hurdle race) pertaining to, or noting a race in which the horses bear welterweights.
- welt + -er1 1785–95
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
welter /ˈwɛltə/ vb (intransitive)
'welter' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):