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

Jiminy's grain-free cookies for dogs are made with crickets and grubs. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026

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

In spring and summer, the abundance of beetles, crickets, grasshoppers and grubs provide a high protein source of food for skunks. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026

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

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

Adult beetles skeletonize foliage, while their larvae, known as grubs, feed on grass roots, resulting in brown patches and dying lawns. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 June 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

Ants will swarm plants that are infested with spider mites, cabbage loopers, root maggots, beetle grubs, scale, mealybugs, ticks, or other pests that ants feed on. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026