as in to labor
to devote serious and sustained effort
the writer pegged away at his first novel for three years before he felt that it was ready to be published
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peg (away)
Verb
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Imagine living in the dictatorship of North Korea, hungry all the time, laboring for no pay.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2026 -
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Deeper challenges China's policy announcements will be scrutinized for details on consumer stimulus, such as expanding trade-in subsidies, and any incremental support for the struggling property market.—
Evelyn Cheng,Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2026
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With human civilization still struggling to find our way through our technological infancy, does this new study actually predict humanity’s demise?—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a world of jaded billionaires, psychiatrist-gurus, bio-hacked tech bros, AI labs and disillusioned teens being optimized in elite private schools, an audacious data-mining CEO (Magnussen) strives to turn insight and influence into profit and power.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Mar. 2026
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And while striving for excellence is admirable, ballet’s obsession with excellence can make for a less-than-welcoming environment for those who just want to do it for fun.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Hawks worked the ball up court and got it to Webb who fake a drive to make some space and then drilled a three with 10 seconds left to retake the lead.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Mar. 2026
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And though the devastation wrought by last year’s fire was unprecedented in its scale, the Schneiders remain optimistic about the future of their beloved enclave and its plucky local paper.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Peg (away).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peg%20%28away%29. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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