1
as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort
plodded night and day to get the assignment done
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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
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator, Jared Isaacman, overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—
Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator Jared Isaacman overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The production of interceptors has been plodding.
—Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
In less capable hands, these pieces could plod aimlessly and fade away, but Lawson knows how to wring complexity from a minimal set of elements.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plod
Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator Jared Isaacman overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The production of interceptors has been plodding.
—Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
In less capable hands, these pieces could plod aimlessly and fade away, but Lawson knows how to wring complexity from a minimal set of elements.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plod
Verb
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In April, Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo proved to be an effective outlet as Chelsea struggled to cope with their pace.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Family members said Ross is still struggling with memory gaps and emotional distress following her detention.—
Jade le Deley,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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In other words, voters didn’t accidentally stumble into supporting term limits.—
Jovani Patterson,
Baltimore Sun,
16 May 2026
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The Bucs gave up nearly 26 points per game in the final two months of the season while stumbling to a 2-7 finish.—
John Romano,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Analysts have repeatedly warned that if the war drags on and supply chains are disrupted for long enough, prices for gas and a range of other goods could continue to climb.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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Billy, who speaks in a honeyed southern accent, dresses in Old Hollywood drag, and lives alone in the defunct summer camp where Camp Miasma was shot, isn’t just an envoy from another generation but a representative of a more visceral relationship with art.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Women in America’s boardrooms made strides as corporations shuffled their mostly White and male lineups in the face of the historic pushback in 2020.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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Tall soldiers in bearskin caps shuffled a few inches to the left, or right, to give the parade its proper visual proportions.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Anyone who’s seen enough adaptations knows the difference between one that strives to apprehend the source material and one that feels derived from a Wikipedia summary.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
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Markowicz directs from her original script, which blends drama and dark satire to broach issues of privilege, complex family relationships, inheritance, and how the elite strive to maintain polished appearances in a fast-paced, ever-changing world.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Designed to crawl through tight crevices or trudge across rough terrain, X-Humanoid says they’re being built for jobs that humans would rather not do.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
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Or trudge a mile through six inches of mud just to get to their computer.—
Shani Harmon,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Surveillance video from one convenience store that was burglarized shows a man in a hoodie crawling in through a hole in the bottom of the front door, climbing over the front counter and opening the cash register.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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Staff started out by wearing bear masks and animal furs, then crawling into the enclosure to spoon-feed the cubs formula.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Grgich stomped grapes at age 3.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
15 May 2026
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International researchers have officially identified Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, a massive dinosaur that has stomped its way into the record books as the largest ever found in Southeast Asia.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plod. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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