as in filling
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in packing
to close up so that no empty spaces remain
plugged the hole in the wall with putty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in laboring
to devote serious and sustained effort
plugged away at solving the math problem
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in promoting
to provide publicity for
the actress is giving lots of interviews to plug her latest movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in shooting
to strike with a missile from a gun
the drug lord plugged the stool pigeon as a lesson for any others who were tempted to talk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 plugging
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Changes in estrogen and androgen levels can increase keratin production, promoting follicular plugging, while also affecting oil and sweat gland activity.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 11 May 2026
The framework also showed high precision in tasks like charger plugging, where millimeter-level accuracy is critical.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
To address the issue, the Center for Biological Diversity is pushing for faster plugging of idle wells, prioritizing the effort near sensitive locations and making oil and gas companies pay for it.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Continue reading … RATTLED HOST — CNN's Jake Tapper 'very unhappy' after network tightens book plugging.
—FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Oil companies are required to set aside funds, called bonds, that the state can call on to pay for well plugging and environmental cleanup.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 22 Jan. 2026
These items often need daily recharging, necessitating regular plugging and unplugging.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025
Such plugging used to come in the form of critical scores.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 May 2016
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 June 2026
The Patriots had held possession in the overtime period since the initial draw control, but the tenacious Notre Dame Academy defense was plugging gaps exceptionally well.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 11 June 2026
Wipe off any soapy residue, then allow the lights to dry completely before plugging them back in.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 June 2026
Tight end Walker Lyons, a transfer from USC, is an intriguing addition, and the Cougars did a good job of plugging holes on the O-line.
—Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 2 June 2026
French maintained a tight lead against incumbent Jim Wright, a fifth-generation rancher running for his second term whose primary campaign priorities included reducing red tape for new oil production, plugging orphan wells, and defending landowner rights.
—Emily Holshouser
may 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026
Wacha kept plugging along, however.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 May 2026
The setup is as simple as plugging it in — there’s no warm-up time, and cleanup is just as easy thanks to the removable tray and included cleaning brush.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
These are great for charging electric toothbrushes, plugging your phone in at night and powering hair dryers.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
Noun
In addition, most of the money dedicated to well plugging is expended through contractors.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Changes in estrogen and androgen levels can increase keratin production, promoting follicular plugging, while also affecting oil and sweat gland activity.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 11 May 2026
The framework also showed high precision in tasks like charger plugging, where millimeter-level accuracy is critical.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
To address the issue, the Center for Biological Diversity is pushing for faster plugging of idle wells, prioritizing the effort near sensitive locations and making oil and gas companies pay for it.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Continue reading … RATTLED HOST — CNN's Jake Tapper 'very unhappy' after network tightens book plugging.
—FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Oil companies are required to set aside funds, called bonds, that the state can call on to pay for well plugging and environmental cleanup.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 22 Jan. 2026
These items often need daily recharging, necessitating regular plugging and unplugging.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025
Such plugging used to come in the form of critical scores.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 May 2016
Verb
How the technologies work A battery EV is charged by plugging into the electricity grid.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 June 2026
The Patriots had held possession in the overtime period since the initial draw control, but the tenacious Notre Dame Academy defense was plugging gaps exceptionally well.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 11 June 2026
Wipe off any soapy residue, then allow the lights to dry completely before plugging them back in.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 June 2026
Tight end Walker Lyons, a transfer from USC, is an intriguing addition, and the Cougars did a good job of plugging holes on the O-line.
—Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 2 June 2026
French maintained a tight lead against incumbent Jim Wright, a fifth-generation rancher running for his second term whose primary campaign priorities included reducing red tape for new oil production, plugging orphan wells, and defending landowner rights.
—Emily Holshouser
may 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026
Wacha kept plugging along, however.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 May 2026
The setup is as simple as plugging it in — there’s no warm-up time, and cleanup is just as easy thanks to the removable tray and included cleaning brush.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
These are great for charging electric toothbrushes, plugging your phone in at night and powering hair dryers.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plugging
Noun
-
In a major win for reuse, at the end of 2024 the Food and Drug Administration issued new guidance giving health departments, businesses, individuals and reuse service providers a clear path to switch to reusable containers for hot and cold food and beverages regardless of who does the filling.—
Kelley Dennings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 June 2026
-
Unlike the baked version many McDonald's fans have become familiar with over the years, the original recipe is known for its golden, crunchy exterior and warm cinnamon apple filling.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Everyone loves the idea of packing cute sandals for a summer Europe trip, until they’re covered in blisters halfway through the day and begging to call a taxi.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
-
Solid-state batteries replace that liquid with solid materials, making cells more resistant to impact, puncture, and heat, dramatically reducing fire risk, and – most importantly – packing far more energy into the same weight.—
Omar Kardoudi
June 12,
New Atlas,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The woodcut birth figures contained in these books were not images drawn from observation—pregnant cadavers for anatomical drawing were hard to come by—but were instead abstracted diagrams of the chaotic diversity of laboring bodies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
-
Another laboring woman with the same image on her phone.—
Karli Swenson,
The Conversation,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Tom Holland and Zendaya made promoting their new movie look like a casual date moment.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
The push is being led by tech giant Huawei through the Ultra HD Video Alliance, which is promoting its own HDR Vivid standard as an alternative to the Digital Cinema Initiatives certification framework that has governed cinema projection globally for decades.—
Marcus Lim,
Variety,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The official TikTok account for Love Meets in the Sunshine features behind-the-scenes clips of Franco and others shooting scenes, while the film's Instagram touts news of Franco's casting.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
-
The shooting deaths of former Kansas City resident Renee Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis earlier this year had sparked calls to defund ICE, the immigration agency at the center of the chaos.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Community partners currently leasing space in the facility also will operate as usual until the closing date, the YMCA said.—
DIAMOND VENCES,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
-
First, Dad’s damp basement office, then, the sound of Dad’s voice reciting the opening and closing stanzas.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
The officials described Pakistan’s monthslong effort leading the negotiations, struggling to keep both sides from walking out of the room and a total collapse of the negotiations on multiple occasions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
-
The third spot, initially expected to go to Martín Zubimendi, now looks more likely to be Fabián Ruiz for the Cape Verde opener, with De la Fuente pragmatic about rotating in the early group games and with Zubimendi struggling for form later on in the club season.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
So, yes, if the rebuild takes on the look of a long-term agenda, then selling high might need to be an avenue navigated.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
There are more brands now selling artisanal pickles in distinctive flavors like honey harissa (or gimmicky ones that beg for virality, like purple grape), and many of them are sold at national grocery chains.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plugging. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
