PLOD Synonyms: 159 Similar and Opposite Words

plod

verb

ˈpläd

Definition of plod

as in to struggle

to devote serious and sustained effort plodded night and day to get the assignment done

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to stumble

to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually oxen plodding through deep mud

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to drag

to move slowly plodded reluctantly off to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to shuffle

to move heavily or clumsily wayfarers plodding across the sandy wastes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of plod Santa, who was heavy and plodding with bad knees, couldn’t keep up as Gayle tailed this man through an alleyway. — Wilbert L. Cooper, Longreads, 25 Aug. 2026 Events plod forward, one after the other, and although Michael Shaeffer is a thoroughly compelling presence as the cruel and chronically unstable monarch Aerys, other performances seem nuance-free. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026 That optionality may be more enticing for New York than just signing a plodding third center. — Tom Rende, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The answer is complex, highlighting the dramatic differences between the public perception of a case and the careful, plodding way that evidence must be presented in a courtroom, experts said. — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for plod

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plod

Verb

Last year, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ office struggled with contractor Tyler Technologies to get money from county coffers out to districts.

— A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
But the Hurricanes struggled in the second half, and Wake Forest nearly got back into the game.

— Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of struggle

Verb

The Broncos stumbled out of the blocks to a 17-3 deficit against Memphis last week, and the same happened on Saturday against South Dakota.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 20 Sep. 2026
The Bears, however, stumbled out of the gate, losing four straight before winning Friday night.

— Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of stumble

Verb

The video, made in collaboration with faceless director Lauzza, features buildings shuffling on beat and other excerpts of British culture.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Senate Leadership Fund, the main GOP Senate super PAC, also shuffled some of its reservations, removing $900,000 in broadcast buys in the state while adding $400,000 in digital ads.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of shuffle

Verb

Such hagiographic descriptors are applied to nearly all of Hagwon’s striving middle-class characters as well as most of its wealthy ones.

— Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
That entails having reachable but firm and clear expectations that both students and teachers can strive towards, not hazy objectives.

— New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of strive

Verb

Millions of years after a massive Tyrannosaurus rex trudged through a prehistoric mudflat, paleontologists can finally follow in its footsteps.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
The Falcons trudged through another difficult afternoon offensively, but unlike Week 1, their defense fell short, too.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of trudge

Verb

Suki, who had been with her new family only a few weeks, had crawled into an opening in an entertainment center cabinet and could not get out.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
And the weirdness of the blue, blue sky above, while hundreds of men crawl around like ants on the rubble.

— Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of crawl

Verb

Letter writers recalled how Paden saved his father’s life when a cow nearly stomped him to death in a field, after the elder Paden came between the cow and her calf.

— Glenn Rice, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
The Bulldogs visit Arkansas, which just got stomped by Utah, to open SEC play Saturday.

— Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of stomp

Browse Nearby Words

plinths

plod

plodded

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“Plod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plod. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of plod

verb

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