verb / noun

galumph

guh-LUMF/ɡəˈlʌmf/

A heavy, clumsy bounding movement, or to move this way.

The older man galumphs through the puddle in oversized rubber boots.

An older man galumphs through a shallow puddle in oversized rubber boots, landing one boot flat with a broad splash while the other swings awkwardly outward; his bent knees and splayed arms make the heavy, ungainly movement visible.

Etymology

Carroll apparently blended gallop and triumph to suggest prancing in self-satisfaction. The later sense of heavy, clumsy movement reflects how readers interpret the word’s sound rather than a simple sum of those meanings.

More examples

The kids galumph down the stairs in their oversized boots.
A toddler galumphed toward the couch and tumbled onto the cushions.
He lands on the mat with an awkward galumph.

Forms

galumph · galumphs · galumphed · galumphing

Similar words

lumber: Suggests slow, heavy movement rather than awkward bounding.
bound: Emphasizes springing leaps without necessarily suggesting weight or clumsiness.