1
as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort
plodded night and day to get the assignment done
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
oxen plodding through deep mud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
wayfarers plodding across the sandy wastes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plod
Still, some 90 Guard members were among the forces seen plodding through the popular park where children with a day camp played.
—
Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2025
In the east of Ukraine, Russian forces meanwhile continued to make plodding but significant advances, while the authorities in Kyiv grew more eager for a ceasefire, as did their constituents.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
No longer were Black Sabbath playing plodding, primitive heavy rockers; there was a new sophistication in the band’s music and Osbourne’s performances.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025
Vince Vaughn, plodding and weary-eyed, plays Easy, a Vegas nightclub singer who’s just trying to do respectable work in whatever venue will have him.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for plod
Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2025
In the east of Ukraine, Russian forces meanwhile continued to make plodding but significant advances, while the authorities in Kyiv grew more eager for a ceasefire, as did their constituents.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
No longer were Black Sabbath playing plodding, primitive heavy rockers; there was a new sophistication in the band’s music and Osbourne’s performances.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025
Vince Vaughn, plodding and weary-eyed, plays Easy, a Vegas nightclub singer who’s just trying to do respectable work in whatever venue will have him.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for plod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plod
Verb
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Livonia bread staple West Fenkell Bakery permanently closed its doors on Middlebelt Road near Five Mile, after owners struggled to make ends meet in the midst of renegotiating a contract for its building.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Atlanta struggled out of the gate, trailing by six after the first quarter, after being outscored 14-0 from the 3-point and free-throw lines combined.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Without a strategic game plan, even the strongest efforts can stumble before crossing the finish line.—
Rohit Shrivastava,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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TikToker Callie Rose Bedford, known as @calrose5, stumbled on the vase during a shopping trip and shared what happened next in a video that has more than 7 million views.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Any resulting court case within the Defense Department's own legal system could result in counter lawsuits, which could drag on for months.—
Anne Flaherty,
ABC News,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Need to know Nvidia probe drags on.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Gakpo is deeper, and Wirtz pushes forward as the central member of Liverpool’s forward line, while Ekitike shuffles across as the left of the trio.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Declining enrollment means the district may need to shuffle schools, students, or teachers to ensure each school is well attended, and the student-teacher ratios are well-balanced.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In a time when instant gratification and overnight success are what people strive for, Wayans is much more focused on the process.—
Essence,
Essence,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Ushering his start in February, the Australian is striving to prolong a seven-month season.—
Cory Mull,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Even after trudging through three quarters offensively, the Chiefs found themselves down 13-10 to start the fourth quarter while driving deep into Eagles territory.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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The sun keeps setting as small caravans trudge through high grasses, over rocky ripple, and finally, into the marsh.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There’s tunnels to crawl through, regular live performances from Quixotic that synchronize with the experience, and a functioning 240-seat theater that plans to host film festivals.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
18 Sep. 2025
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Some coast with healthy double-digit conversion rates, while others crawl along at 5% or 6%.—
Jon Stojan,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In Baltimore, the Ravens shook off last week’s stunning loss to the Bills by stomping the Cleveland Browns 41-17.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Most tourists don't come to Abu Dhabi to put on a thick coat and stomp around a snowy landscape but theme park fans are the exception.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plod. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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