1
as in laboring
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 stumbling
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
oxen plodding through deep mud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dragging
to move slowly
plodded reluctantly off to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
wayfarers plodding across the sandy wastes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in relentless
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in ambling
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plodding
Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2025
In the east of Ukraine, Russian forces meanwhile continued to make plodding but significant advances, while the authorities in Kyiv grew more eager for a ceasefire, as did their constituents.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
Occasionally, as in the obscurity of Legion’s later episodes or the plodding pace of some Fargo plots, this approach can verge on self-indulgence.
—Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Still, some 90 Guard members were among the forces seen plodding through the popular park where children with a day camp played.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2025
In the east of Ukraine, Russian forces meanwhile continued to make plodding but significant advances, while the authorities in Kyiv grew more eager for a ceasefire, as did their constituents.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plodding
Verb
-
During that season Clark was laboring to teach all his defensive linemen a new technique to use, and players would have to film themselves working on it, and send it into the coaches.—
Omar Kelly
August 23,
Miami Herald,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Wall Street economists are fixated on identifying tariff effects, yet stocks either celebrated or shrugged off three warm and sticky inflation readings this week, laboring to hold near record highs.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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His arrival home each night is announced by his sputtering motorcycle and his drunken stumbling up the stairs.—
Adam Solomons,
IndieWire,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Whew The last thing a team wants to see is its starting quarterback stumbling to the sideline four plays into the season.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Sesame and potato as a combo is, in fact, reminiscent of the days of our collective childhoods, when experimentation looked like dragging Wendy’s fries through a vanilla Frosty.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Samuel cut inside off an excellent lead block by Croskey-Merritt and shed nickel back Dru Phillips’ tackle attempt before dragging linebacker Bobby Okereke with him to the goal line for a touchdown.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The three actors were filming a lighthearted scene, shuffling excitedly between a hot sauna and cold plunge, when Reeves’ foot caught on some flooring.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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The film essentially takes place entirely within an under-20-minute timeline, showing the same events from a shuffling deck of points of view.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Despite relentless political attacks and courtroom challenges, nearly all anti-DEI shareholder resolutions have failed, rejected by overwhelming margins at companies like Apple, Coca-Cola, and Berkshire Hathaway.—
Essence,
Essence,
9 Sep. 2025
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Where Welch pursued relentless growth and shareholder value maximization, Chouinard deliberately restrained Patagonia's expansion.—
Kyle Westaway,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Apart from buying struggling retailers, Barnes & Noble has expanded its physical footprint.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Despite the additional funding, the Advocate pointed out that some TAC offices were already struggling—as of April 15, 2025, 239 were understaffed and 21 were unstaffed.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the engaging trailer that continues the sinister tale of Vault-Tec, The Ghoul arrives in New Vegas alongside Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell) and Dogmeat, trudging into the outskirts of New Vegas.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Without a doubt there are people who would pay serious money to see Jeffrey Katzenberg hanging out and trudging through the sand and dirt at Burning Man.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Her grandkids are crawling into trouble.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The pair is seen crawling through a wildflower field, dancing, and jumping, but also hollering at each other, brandishing knives, and at some point, Lawrence licks a window with zeal.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plodding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plodding. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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