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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The contestants struggled mighty hard with the songs.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2026
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Pornographic deepfake images of her have circulated online, making the singer the most famous victim of a scourge that tech platforms and antiabuse groups have struggled to fix.—
Maria Sherman,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As Laugier’s story continues, the man wanders through a forest, stumbles upon fallen branches, and has an epiphany.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
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Mazzulla, who’s trumpeted the Celtics depth at every turn this season, shouldn’t hesitate to use it if his starters stumble on Saturday.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
Verb
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As the Iran war drags on, concerns over rising gas prices and other costs have ballooned, sending consumer sentiment plummeting.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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But now, in a last-ditch attempt to save the whale, a team has loaded Timmy onto a specialized barge to essentially drag it to the North Sea.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Redick has had to shuffle the roster pieces around since, using the final five games of the regular season to assess his rotation options without Doncic and Reaves, who also missed 19 straight games from Christmas until February with a strained calf.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
30 Apr. 2026
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Parkinson’s stem cell trial is underway at UM At the University of Miami, neurologists are testing AI’s capabilities to shuffle through patient data to spot patterns that can help predict which patients may experience rapid decline.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Newer companies, such as Firefly Aerospace, Stoke Space and Relativity Space, are also striving to rise to the competition.—
Ramin Skibba,
Scientific American,
4 May 2026
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As Miranda faces public outcry and the pressures of a downturning publishing industry, Andy once again strives for her approval amid her steadfast pursuit of rigorous journalism.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
2 May 2026
Verb
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When the game ended, following Mosley’s postgame comments to the team, Suggs trudged in his flip-flops to the team’s therapy areas.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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Messi trudged off the field quickly and headed straight to the locker room, in no mood for post-game salutations.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, during one segment of the performance, a snake reportedly bit the German tourist after crawling into his clothing.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Wages for hourly employees have crawled, while the paychecks of investors and executives have soared.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This is a fantastic shoe to stomp around town in, thanks to its thick rubber lug sole.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
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From February through May, the males of this colorful bird species do a quick-stomping dance and make a low booming sound to attract a mate.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plod. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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