plodded; plodding

intransitive verb

1
: to work laboriously and monotonously : drudge
2
a
: to walk heavily or slowly : trudge
b
: to proceed slowly or tediously
the movie's plot just plods along

transitive verb

: to tread slowly or heavily along or over
plod noun
plodder noun
ploddingly adverb

Examples of plod in a Sentence

We plodded through mud that came up past our ankles. I could hear my roommate plodding up the steps to our apartment. We plodded our way across the muddy field. He plodded through his work. The day was plodding along.
Recent Examples on the Web The band of immigrants plods through the sand, occasionally stepping past dead bodies left abandoned from earlier journeys. Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Feb. 2024 In San Diego, there’s almost no talk anymore about high-speed rail, as unstable coastal tracks increasingly require emergency repairs while plans to reroute the line inland are plodding along. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2024 Billion-dollar world-building aside, The Rings of Power plods. TIME, 7 Feb. 2024 Carbon emissions shrank in 2023 even as the economy grew, a sign the U.S. is plodding toward a more sustainable future. Evan Bush, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2024 Lawyers for former President Donald Trump have added a little spice to his plodding classified documents case in South Florida by moving to throw out a 42-count indictment based on claims of presidential immunity and other legal issues. Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024 The bull stops short of stomping him with its front hooves and just stares the man down before plodding away. Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 25 Oct. 2023 This inspired an album of thick, plodding instrumentals and distorted, distant vocals, with sparse lyrics that rely on haunting repetitions and revisitations. Hanif Abdurraqib, The New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2024 What’s in store for the coming months The plodding pace of repairs caused frustration among many Bay Area customers in recent days, with residents questioning the utility provider’s preparedness and diligence in responding to the storm. Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plod.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plod was in 1562

Dictionary Entries Near plod

Cite this Entry

“Plod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plod. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

plod

verb
plodded; plodding
1
: to walk heavily or slowly : trudge
2
: to work or study with effort
3
: to progress or develop slowly
plod noun
plodder noun
ploddingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on plod

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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