1
as in relentless
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2
as in ambling
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in laboring
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 stumbling
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
oxen plodding through deep mud
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3
as in dragging
to move slowly
plodded reluctantly off to work
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4
as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
wayfarers plodding across the sandy wastes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plodding
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
His jogging gait is a bit plodding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
His two-time matchup was Alejandro Kirk, an excellent hitter but, at 5-foot-8 and 245 pounds, a plodding runner.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Where the film falters is in its plodding rhythm and clunky dialogue, much of which is delivered too flatly by actors who don’t exactly steal their scenes.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
At a plodding pace, the desert wilderness can be admired in all its granular splendor.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
But the small lineup has helped with spacing, creating more driving lanes for Dent while also allowing Bilodeau to beat more plodding counterparts on offense.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Wisconsin was one of the nation’s most plodding teams under former coach Bo Ryan and continued that way under former assistant Greg Gard, as recently as two seasons ago ranking in the 300s in Division I in tempo.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
Occasionally, as in the obscurity of Legion’s later episodes or the plodding pace of some Fargo plots, this approach can verge on self-indulgence.
—Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
The Senate should be plodding, and steady, and boring, and trustworthy.
—Scott Pelley, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
The story was plodding, the characters frustrating, and the transitions through time poorly executed.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Previous to that, markets had expected multiple cuts this year in an effort to shore up the plodding labor market.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator, Jared Isaacman, overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator Jared Isaacman overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The production of interceptors has been plodding.
—Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Prior to this life explosion, Bill was a casual runner, plodding along in a few marathons and Ironmans.
—Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Neither is known for having much of an off-the-dribble game that could hurt the plodding Porzingis or Horford.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
His jogging gait is a bit plodding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
His two-time matchup was Alejandro Kirk, an excellent hitter but, at 5-foot-8 and 245 pounds, a plodding runner.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Where the film falters is in its plodding rhythm and clunky dialogue, much of which is delivered too flatly by actors who don’t exactly steal their scenes.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
At a plodding pace, the desert wilderness can be admired in all its granular splendor.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
But the small lineup has helped with spacing, creating more driving lanes for Dent while also allowing Bilodeau to beat more plodding counterparts on offense.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Wisconsin was one of the nation’s most plodding teams under former coach Bo Ryan and continued that way under former assistant Greg Gard, as recently as two seasons ago ranking in the 300s in Division I in tempo.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
Occasionally, as in the obscurity of Legion’s later episodes or the plodding pace of some Fargo plots, this approach can verge on self-indulgence.
—Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
Just last week, an Alameda County jury awarded $16 million to one such abuse victim, in a key case aimed at spurring long-plodding settlement talks between other abuse victims and the diocese.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
The Senate should be plodding, and steady, and boring, and trustworthy.
—Scott Pelley, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
The story was plodding, the characters frustrating, and the transitions through time poorly executed.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Previous to that, markets had expected multiple cuts this year in an effort to shore up the plodding labor market.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator, Jared Isaacman, overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator Jared Isaacman overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The production of interceptors has been plodding.
—Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Prior to this life explosion, Bill was a casual runner, plodding along in a few marathons and Ironmans.
—Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plodding
Adjective
-
Americans have known Fox News’s Kayleigh McEnany as the composed woman behind the podium, forcefully defending administration policy in the White House briefing room, sparring with reporters on live television, or navigating the relentless pressures of national politics.—
Kiara Moore,
The Washington Examiner,
17 May 2026
-
Still, the designer’s schedule remains relentless.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Makar has played in every game this postseason, but was clearly laboring in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
20 May 2026
-
Imagine a place of employment where everyone in the building is laboring to live out their childhood dream.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
In a video shared on Facebook by comedian Mike Goldstein, the man can be seen stumbling out of the bathroom while still fastening his belt.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
Arriving at Badlands National Park feels like stumbling upon Mars.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
The uncanny vision is made even eerier when Hoop spots her late mother dragging her five children through the human tide.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
19 May 2026
-
The complaint states that Sorsby only has until June 22 to make a decision regarding the NFL Supplemental Draft, and the NCAA is dragging its feet in this process.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
This meant slowly shuffling into the wilderness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
At 2-0 down, and with Nuno Espirito Santo shuffling to a back-four, there was a flicker of a pulse and two decent saves from Nick Pope.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Patients with hemimegalencephaly can suffer from unremitting epilepsy and intellectual disabilities, and often need neurosurgery during infancy.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
There seemed to be an element of sadomasochistic play in their relationship, of withholding and succumbing, that contravenes the popular sense of an unremitting dominant-submissive dynamic.—
Daphne Merkin,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
For this Nuggets lineup, the average comes out to a pedestrian 6-9, with three capable perimeter defenders to assist the heavy-footed centers, two 40% 3-point shooters to space the floor, and a surplus of play-making talent.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The Knicks whipped the ball around the perimeter before Brunson used a Towns screen as a decoy to freeze Gobert and launch a pass to Anunoby that he’s forced to catch in stride and blow past the heavy-footed center for a bucket.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Many libraries’ orders went unfulfilled, and all but the largest ones were left struggling to get popular titles to their patrons.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Across Oahu’s North Shore, an area famed for its big-wave surfing, the small farms that help supply the island’s food are struggling after back-to-back storms in March brought the state’s worst flooding in two decades.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plodding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plodding. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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