Standard Lemma guide

romp

noun · verb · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ɹɒmp/
  • US: /ɹɑmp/
  • rhymes with -ɒmp
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R AA1 M P Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Someone who romps; especially, a girl or young woman who indulges in boisterous play; a tomboy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A period of boisterous play, a frolic; now especially, a bout of sexual activity, especially when illicit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An enjoyable, fast-paced but essentially inconsequential film, play, or other piece of entertainment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A decisive victory; a game, match etc. which is won easily.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To play about roughly, energetically or boisterously.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • sport (formal)
  • When the kids're allowed to romp in the bedroom, they break something.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

(Often used with down) To press forcefully, to encourage vehemently, to oppress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, transitive

Examples

  • If I romp down on the gas, it'll do sixty in six seconds.
  • Coach Smith had to romp on 'em to get 'em out of a losing streak.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To make progress or win easily.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I romped through my finals.
  • England romped to an easy win over Australia.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: squeak

8

verb

Meaning 8

To move with little effort relatively quickly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • We romped along with the wind astern.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To engage in playful or illicit sex.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

Topics: journalism, media, newspapers

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it was all done in play
  • their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: play, frolic, gambol, caper

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: diversion, recreation

Narrower terms: flirt, flirting, flirtation, coquetry, dalliance, toying, folly, foolery, tomfoolery, craziness, lunacy, indulgence, game, horseplay, teasing, word play

11

noun

Meaning 11

an easy victory

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: runaway, blowout, laugher, shoo-in, walkaway

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: victory, triumph

12

noun

Meaning 12

a girl who behaves in a boyish manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tomboy, hoyden

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: girl, miss, missy, young lady, young woman, fille

13

verb

Meaning 13

win easily

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • romp a race

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: win

14

verb

Meaning 14

play boisterously

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The children frolicked in the garden
  • the gamboling lambs in the meadows
  • The toddlers romped in the playroom

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: frolic, lark, rollick, skylark, disport, sport, cavort, gambol, frisk, run around, lark about

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: play

15

verb

Meaning 15

run easily and fairly fast

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: run

History

Etymology

Probably a variant of ramp.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: лудуване (luduvane) — period of boisterous play
  • Czech: dovádění — period of boisterous play
  • Czech: laškování — period of boisterous play
  • Dutch: stoeipartij — period of boisterous play
  • Finnish: peuhaaminen — period of boisterous play
  • Finnish: peuhu — period of boisterous play
  • Finnish: temmellys — period of boisterous play
  • Galician: rebuldo — period of boisterous play
  • German: Balgerei — period of boisterous play
  • German: Tollerei — period of boisterous play
  • German: Toben — period of boisterous play
  • German: Tollen — period of boisterous play
  • German: Herumtollen — period of boisterous play
  • German: Herumtoben — period of boisterous play
  • German: Rauferei — period of boisterous play
  • Hungarian: hancúrozás — period of boisterous play
  • Italian: scorrazzata — period of boisterous play
  • Japanese: 大はしゃぎ (ōhashagi) — period of boisterous play
  • Macedonian: луду́вање (ludúvanje) — period of boisterous play
  • Māori: tuapa — period of boisterous play
  • Polish: swawola — period of boisterous play
  • Spanish: retozo — period of boisterous play
  • Spanish: revolcón — period of boisterous play
  • Bulgarian: лудувам (luduvam) — to play roughly or energetically
  • Bulgarian: палувам (paluvam) — to play roughly or energetically
  • Chinese Mandarin: 喧闹玩耍 — to play roughly or energetically
  • Czech: skotačit — to play roughly or energetically
  • Czech: dovádět — to play roughly or energetically
  • Czech: řádit — to play roughly or energetically
  • Dutch: stoeien — to play roughly or energetically
  • Dutch: rondhuppelen — to play roughly or energetically
  • Finnish: peuhata — to play roughly or energetically
  • Finnish: temmeltää — to play roughly or energetically
  • Finnish: riehua — to play roughly or energetically
  • French: s'ébattre — to play roughly or energetically
  • Galician: rebuldar — to play roughly or energetically
  • Galician: espoldrexar — to play roughly or energetically
  • Galician: espoldriñar — to play roughly or energetically
  • German: raufen — to play roughly or energetically
  • Hungarian: hancúrozik — to play roughly or energetically
  • Italian: spassarsela — to play roughly or energetically
  • Italian: ruzzare — to play roughly or energetically
  • Italian: scorrazzare — to play roughly or energetically
  • Japanese: はしゃぎ回る (hasyagi mawaru) — to play roughly or energetically
  • Macedonian: лу́дува (lúduva) — to play roughly or energetically
  • Māori: tuapa — to play roughly or energetically
  • Polish: baraszkować — to play roughly or energetically
  • Polish: dokazywać — to play roughly or energetically
  • Polish: hasać — to play roughly or energetically
  • Polish: swawolić — to play roughly or energetically
  • Russian: беситься (besitʹsja) — to play roughly or energetically
  • Russian: шали́ть (šalítʹ) — to play roughly or energetically
  • Spanish: retozar — to play roughly or energetically
  • Swedish: rumla — to play roughly or energetically