1
as in labored
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 stumbled
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
oxen plodding through deep mud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dragged
to move slowly
plodded reluctantly off to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
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4
as in shuffled
to move heavily or clumsily
wayfarers plodding across the sandy wastes
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Recent Examples of plodded
Minnesota’s defense has been unreliable lately, but Wisconsin’s offense has plodded most of the year.
—
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 28 Nov. 2025
For months, the two initiatives plodded along, with photo ops and declarations of good will.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
The Demon Deacons coach ran towards Belichick while removing his hat as the six-time Super Bowl champion coach plodded his way across the field for a blow-by handshake.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 28 Nov. 2025
For months, the two initiatives plodded along, with photo ops and declarations of good will.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
The Demon Deacons coach ran towards Belichick while removing his hat as the six-time Super Bowl champion coach plodded his way across the field for a blow-by handshake.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plodded
Verb
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Since then, Budig has labored tirelessly to stoke enthusiasm for Summers’ book among her Inky Phoenix community members.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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When the novel opens in Florence, in 1557, the body of the painter Jacopo da Pontormo lies in the chapel of San Lorenzo—in front of the frescoes he’d labored over for a decade, with a painter’s chisel stuck in his heart.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Illinois bolted an early 15-3 lead as USC stumbled out of the gate, turning the ball over four times in the first six minutes and missing seven of its first eight shots.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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But in a market with no room for error, the cybersecurity giant stumbled on guidance, and the stock sank.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Russian soldiers twice threatened to kill him, including an instance where he and a friend were dragged off the street by soldiers.—
Yuras Karmanau,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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If your suitcase is also looking a little worse for wear after being dragged through snowy sidewalks all winter, now is a good time to invest in new luggage.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Teenage athletes, whose bodies are pushed to the breaking point and then shuffled out of the sport when new talent arises, bear the brunt of the pressure.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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That means there aren’t going to be just a few chairs shuffled around; my suspicion is much of the roster likely will be overhauled in the next few years.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With its dynamic freshman depleted from flu and another starter, Chad Baker-Mazara, still out due to injury, USC struggled to find a consistent source of offense.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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Founder Sherille Riley, who previously worked as a facialist for high-end brands like La Prairie and Crème de la Mer, had until recently struggled to shop for K-beauty in person and initially bought the products online – only to run the risk of long shipping times or unknowingly buying a fake.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rescuers trudged through the heavy snow, combatting gale force winds under white-out conditions and mindful that another avalanche could potentially barrel down from above, Sheriff Moon said.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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People trudged through heavy snow in several parts of the country to cast their votes.—
CNBC.com staff,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After two hours in their second pass, a large object crawled across the screen of Ehorn's Klein side-scan sonar.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
16 Feb. 2026
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One live roach crawled on the floor in front of a storage rack with seasoning and cans.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On her final attempt, Gu stomped a left double-cork 1260 with a toxic grab, vaulting from sixth place into silver-medal position.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
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This apex predator stomped around until the end of the Age of Dinosaurs, roughly 66 million years ago.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plodded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plodded. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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