1
as in relentless
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
2
as in ambling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in laboring
to devote serious and sustained effort
plodded night and day to get the assignment done
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of plodding
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
His jogging gait is a bit plodding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
His two-time matchup was Alejandro Kirk, an excellent hitter but, at 5-foot-8 and 245 pounds, a plodding runner.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Where the film falters is in its plodding rhythm and clunky dialogue, much of which is delivered too flatly by actors who don’t exactly steal their scenes.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
At a plodding pace, the desert wilderness can be admired in all its granular splendor.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
But the small lineup has helped with spacing, creating more driving lanes for Dent while also allowing Bilodeau to beat more plodding counterparts on offense.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Wisconsin was one of the nation’s most plodding teams under former coach Bo Ryan and continued that way under former assistant Greg Gard, as recently as two seasons ago ranking in the 300s in Division I in tempo.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
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
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
Previous to that, markets had expected multiple cuts this year in an effort to shore up the plodding labor market.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
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
Prior to this life explosion, Bill was a casual runner, plodding along in a few marathons and Ironmans.
—Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Neither is known for having much of an off-the-dribble game that could hurt the plodding Porzingis or Horford.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
His jogging gait is a bit plodding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
His two-time matchup was Alejandro Kirk, an excellent hitter but, at 5-foot-8 and 245 pounds, a plodding runner.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Where the film falters is in its plodding rhythm and clunky dialogue, much of which is delivered too flatly by actors who don’t exactly steal their scenes.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
At a plodding pace, the desert wilderness can be admired in all its granular splendor.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
But the small lineup has helped with spacing, creating more driving lanes for Dent while also allowing Bilodeau to beat more plodding counterparts on offense.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Wisconsin was one of the nation’s most plodding teams under former coach Bo Ryan and continued that way under former assistant Greg Gard, as recently as two seasons ago ranking in the 300s in Division I in tempo.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
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
Verb
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
Previous to that, markets had expected multiple cuts this year in an effort to shore up the plodding labor market.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
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
Prior to this life explosion, Bill was a casual runner, plodding along in a few marathons and Ironmans.
—Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plodding
Adjective
-
How are you supposed to enjoy your iced tea in the garden when that pest is relentless?—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
As jobs go, motherhood can seem at odds with itself; too relentless to be easy but too satisfying to quit.—
Andre Mouchard,
Daily News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Imagine a place of employment where everyone in the building is laboring to live out their childhood dream.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2026
-
Just three had received fewer innings per game from their starters, increasing the burden on a bullpen laboring under the strain.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
America is building the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence but stumbling badly in applying it.—
Drew Cukor,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
-
The mood in Venice is still borderline ecstatic, full of gossip, parties, and people chatting about art in their respective cities, trading business cards, discovering new talent, eating, drinking, and stumbling around, running into old friends.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Travelers end up dragging coats through museums or try to shove them into already full suitcases before a train transfer.—
Chantelle Kincy,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
-
That’s led to a stark split between Wall Street analysts and energy experts, who have been warning that oil supplies could head off a cliff in the coming months or even weeks, dragging the global economy down in the process.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Facebook groups and other online communities have sprung up around shuffling, allowing expats navigating all sorts of situations to compare notes and share strategies.—
Carole Rosenblat,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
But sometimes, simply shuffling the pieces can help, in our view.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Patients with hemimegalencephaly can suffer from unremitting epilepsy and intellectual disabilities, and often need neurosurgery during infancy.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
There seemed to be an element of sadomasochistic play in their relationship, of withholding and succumbing, that contravenes the popular sense of an unremitting dominant-submissive dynamic.—
Daphne Merkin,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
For this Nuggets lineup, the average comes out to a pedestrian 6-9, with three capable perimeter defenders to assist the heavy-footed centers, two 40% 3-point shooters to space the floor, and a surplus of play-making talent.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The Knicks whipped the ball around the perimeter before Brunson used a Towns screen as a decoy to freeze Gobert and launch a pass to Anunoby that he’s forced to catch in stride and blow past the heavy-footed center for a bucket.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
At the time, the group had around two dozen employees and was struggling for financial stability.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
The key will be to continue building off the encouraging start, especially after struggling with his command in Colorado last week.—
Jesús Cano,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plodding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plodding. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
