1
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
2
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
oxen plodding through deep mud
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
wayfarers plodding across the sandy wastes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plod
The other human beings his size have either been plodding trees who can barely get up the floor or rail-thin gazelles who can’t handle the G-forces their bodies generate at full speed.
—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Just last week, an Alameda County jury awarded $16 million to one such abuse victim, in a key case aimed at spurring long-plodding settlement talks between other abuse victims and the diocese.
—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
The Senate should be plodding, and steady, and boring, and trustworthy.
—
Scott Pelley,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
The story was plodding, the characters frustrating, and the transitions through time poorly executed.
—
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plod
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Just last week, an Alameda County jury awarded $16 million to one such abuse victim, in a key case aimed at spurring long-plodding settlement talks between other abuse victims and the diocese.
—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
The Senate should be plodding, and steady, and boring, and trustworthy.
—
Scott Pelley,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
The story was plodding, the characters frustrating, and the transitions through time poorly executed.
—
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plod
Verb
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Amid the mutiny in the House, Johnson canceled unrelated votes, struggling to get enough support to move the legislation.
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The Pirates posted a six-run fifth inning against struggling starter Aaron Nola (3-5).
Verb
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Scientists have stumbled on a rare dinosaur fossil from Antarctica, tucked away for decades in a drawer.
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However, Portugal stumbled in its opening match, managing only a 1–1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Verb
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But as the days dragged on, headlines about power outages and water shortages took a back seat to a far more gruesome and horrific reality.
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Compounding concerns, California officials say the Department of Transportation is dragging its feet.
Verb
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As soon as the game wrapped up, those guests shuffled out, and hours later were replaced by a rowdier group ordering shots at the bar, dancing to 2000s hits in front of the DJ booth and smoking vape pens on the outdoor patio.
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Pretoria responded to the threat of violence in June 30 protests with millions of dollars shuffled inside the police budget, tactical units deployed, and soldiers on standby.
Verb
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When technology lowers the cost of doing something, companies always strive to do more.
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For example, business functions strive for growth, while development teams focus on functionality.
Verb
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The next morning a young man, who Colocousis said showed up in a Jeep with New York plates, trudged across a thin layer of snow to his doorstep.
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Enola dutifully trudges between clues and possibilities, shuffling through crime scenes and racing around shady spaces, all of this much more paint-by-numbers than connect-the-dots.
Verb
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So, while the Dodgers crawled out of the hole with a season-high 17 hits, the steep cost heightens the pressure on the rest of the rotation the rest of the series.
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The Germans were crawling as far as the street, dashing across the asphalt, then leaping into the second trench.
Verb
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The name Chelydra serpentina evokes colossal reptiles stomping through ancient forests.
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If anything, the dichotomy between the pop star who prances around Versailles in a sheer nightie and the pop star who stomps onstage in knee-high combat boots feels completely authentic and intentional.
Cite this Entry
“Plod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plod. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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