Synonyms of grubs

grubs 1 of 2

noun

plural of grub

as in laborers

a person who does very hard or dull work

you may have to spend some time working as a grub before challenging work comes your way

Synonyms & Similar Words

• laborers
• workers
• slaves
• grubbers
• peons
• toilers
• foot soldiers
• drones
• grunts
• pluggers
• sloggers
• dogsbodies
• drudges
• drudgers
• serfs
• workhorses

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shirkers
• slugs
• loafers
• idlers
• sluggards
• goldbricks
• lazybones
• slouches

grubs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of grub

as in labors

to devote serious and sustained effort

grubbing away at the yard work before the first snow of the season

Synonyms & Similar Words

• labors
• struggles
• strives
• works
• slaves
• endeavors
• fags
• plows
• tugs
• toils
• sweats
• plugs
• pegs (away)
• humps
• tries
• drudges
• digs (away)
• bangs away
• hustles
• beavers (away)
• strains
• sweats blood
• travails
• applies (oneself)
• slogs
• plods
• attacks
• hammers (away)
• moils
• buckles (down)
• knuckles down
• scratches
• pitches in
• essays
• grinds (out)
• exercises
• ekes out
• exerts
• overexerts
• drives
• digs in
• wades
• scrabbles
• overworks
• trudges
• puts out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bums
• breaks
• slackens
• lets up
• lounges
• eases (up)
• lazes
• loafs
• hangs (around or out)
• slacks (off)
• goldbricks
• chills
• dallies
• dillydallies
• shirks
• idles
• hacks (around)
• goofs (off)
• lolls
• rests
• reposes
• basks
• plays
• footles
• unwinds
• hangs
• trifles
• fribbles
• relaxes
• doodles
• vegges out
• dabbles
• fools around
• potters (around)
• monkeys (around)
• hangs about
• putters (around)
• messes around
• goofs (around)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of grubs

Noun

The presence of grubs indicates that the ecosystem is out of balance, says Brian Daubenspeck, a farmer and mentor at The Soil Food Web School. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026

Japanese beetles suddenly emerge mid-summer as the grubs become adults. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Many birds subsist on bugs, including grubs, earthworms, and flying insects. — The Spruce, 5 July 2026

Worms, frogs, crayfish, insects such as grubs, cockroaches and beetles, snakes, birds, mice, fruit, nuts, pet food, and compost are all on the menu for opossums. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 1 July 2026

Here are some tips from the Plant Clinic for coping with Japanese beetles and grubs. — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026