Plodding — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /ˈpläd/

Meaning & Definition of Plodding

Plodding (verb)

  1. to work laboriously and monotonously, drudge
  2. to walk heavily or slowly, trudge
  3. to proceed slowly or tediously

Plodding (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in relentless, steady

    similar: determined, dogged, patient, persevering, persistent, pertinacious, relentless, steadfast, steady, stubborn, tenacious, unabated, unfailing, unfaltering, unflinching, unrelenting, unremitting, unwavering, indefatigable, inexhaustible, tireless, unflagging, untiring, weariless, assiduous, conscientious, diligent, meticulous, painstaking, sedulous, active, busy, dynamic, energetic, feverish, spirited, vigorous, hard, industrious, intense, laborious, slavish, strenuous
    opposite: indolent, lackadaisical, laggard, lazy, listless, shiftless, slothful, sluggish, apathetic, casual, desultory, languid, spiritless, beat, broken, burned-out, done in, drained, enervated, jaded, overtaxed, overworked, played out, sapped, spent, tuckered (out), wearied, worn-out

  2. as in inching, ambling

    similar: ambling, heavy-footed, inching, shuffling, slow-footed, lingering, loitering, tarrying, strolling, inactive, inert, lethargic, loafing, lounging, decelerating, slowing, deliberate, measured, filibustering, procrastinating, stalling, crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, lagging, languid, leisurely, poking, poky, slow, sluggish, snaillike, snail-paced, tardy, unhurried
    opposite: barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy, fast, fleet, flying, hasty, hurrying, lightning, meteoric, quick, racing, rapid, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, snappy, speeding, speedy, swift, warp-speed, whirling, whirlwind, whisking, zipping, expeditious, prompt, ready, accelerated, hastened, quickened, hurried, rushed

Plodding (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to devote serious and sustained effort

    "plodded night and day to get the assignment done"

    similar: banging away, beavering (away), digging (away), drudging, endeavoring, fagging, grubbing, humping, hustling, laboring, moiling, pegging (away), plowing, plugging, slaving, slogging, straining, striving, struggling, sweating, toiling, travailing, tugging, working, sweating blood
    related: applying (oneself), buckling (down), digging in, hammering (away), knuckling down, pitching in, attacking, driving, essaying, trying, exercising, exerting, overexerting, overworking, eking out, grinding (out), putting out, scrabbling, scratching, trudging, wading
    near: breaking, easing (up), letting up, slackening, bumming, chilling, dallying, dillydallying, footling, goldbricking, goofing (off), hacking (around), hanging (around or out), idling, lazing, loafing, lounging, shirking, slacking (off), vegging out, basking, lolling, relaxing, reposing, resting, unwinding, dabbling, doodling, fooling around, fribbling, goofing (around), hanging, hanging about (British), messing around, monkeying (around), playing, pottering (around), puttering (around), trifling

  2. to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

    "oxen plodding through deep mud"

    similar: blundering, bumbling, flogging (British), floundering, limping, lumbering, struggling, stumbling, trudging
    related: jogging, shambling, shuffling, wallowing, weltering, faltering, lurching, reeling, staggering, swaying, teetering, tottering, fumbling, muddling
    near: coasting, flying, gliding, kilting, sailing, zipping, zooming

  3. to move slowly

    "plodded reluctantly off to work"

    similar: crawling, creaking (along), creeping, dragging, inching, limping, nosing, oozing, poking, slouching, snailing
    related: lumbering, shambling, shuffling, tramping, trudging
    opposite: flying, racing, speeding, whizzing, zipping
    near: floating, gliding, sailing, hurrying, tearing

  4. to move heavily or clumsily

    "wayfarers plodding across the sandy wastes"

    similar: barging, clumping, flogging (British), floundering, galumphing, lumbering, lumping, pounding, scuffing, scuffling, shambling, shuffling, slogging, sloughing, stamping, stomping, stumbling, stumping, tramping, tromping, trudging
    related: dragging, flopping, hauling, blundering, careening, doddering, lurching, reeling, staggering, swaying, teetering, tottering, waddling, weaving, wobbling
    opposite: breezing, coasting, gliding, sliding, waltzing, whisking
    near: drifting, floating, hanging, hovering, poising, wafting

Related Entry: Plod (verb)

Plod is a different word from Plodding. The synonyms below are for plod, not for plodding.

  1. to devote serious and sustained effort

    "plodded night and day to get the assignment done"

    similar: bang away, beaver (away), dig (away), drudge, endeavor, fag, grub, hump, hustle, labor, moil, peg (away), plow, plug, slave, slog, strain, strive, struggle, sweat, toil, travail, tug, work, sweat blood
    related: apply (oneself), buckle (down), dig in, hammer (away), knuckle down, pitch in, attack, drive, essay, try, exercise, exert, overexert, overwork, eke out, grind (out), put out, scrabble, scratch, trudge, wade
    near: break, ease (up), let up, slacken, bum, chill, dally, dillydally, footle, goldbrick, goof (off), hack (around), hang (around or out), idle, laze, loaf, lounge, shirk, slack (off), veg out, bask, loll, relax, repose, rest, unwind, dabble, doodle, fool around, fribble, goof (around), hang, hang about (British), mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

  2. to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

    "oxen plodding through deep mud"

    similar: blunder, bumble, flog (British), flounder, limp, lumber, struggle, stumble, trudge
    related: jog, shamble, shuffle, wallow, welter, falter, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, fumble, muddle
    near: coast, fly, glide, kilt, sail, zip, zoom

  3. to move slowly

    "plodded reluctantly off to work"

    similar: crawl, creak (along), creep, drag, inch, limp, nose, ooze, poke, slouch, snail
    related: lumber, shamble, shuffle, tramp, trudge
    opposite: fly, race, speed, whiz, zip
    near: float, glide, sail, hurry, tear

  4. to move heavily or clumsily

    "wayfarers plodding across the sandy wastes"

    similar: barge, clump, flog (British), flounder, galumph, lumber, lump, pound, scuff, scuffle, shamble, shuffle, slog, slough, stamp, stomp, stumble, stump, tramp, tromp, trudge
    related: drag, flop, haul, blunder, careen, dodder, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, waddle, weave, wobble
    opposite: breeze, coast, glide, slide, waltz, whisk
    near: drift, float, hang, hover, poise, waft

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Plodding

The most common words with a similar meaning to Plodding:

British: flogging
determined, dogged, patient, persevering, persistent, pertinacious, relentless, steadfast, steady, stubborn, tenacious, unabated, unfailing, unfaltering, unflinching, unrelenting, unremitting, unwavering, indefatigable, inexhaustible, tireless, unflagging, untiring, weariless, assiduous, conscientious, diligent, meticulous, painstaking, sedulous, active, busy, dynamic, energetic, feverish, spirited, vigorous, hard, industrious, intense

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Plodding

Words with the opposite meaning of Plodding:

indolent, lackadaisical, laggard, lazy, listless, shiftless, slothful, sluggish, apathetic, casual, desultory, languid, spiritless, beat, broken, burned-out, done in, drained, enervated, jaded, overtaxed, overworked, played out, sapped, spent, tuckered (out), wearied, worn-out, barreling, bolting

Related Words for Plodding

applying (oneself), buckling (down), digging in, hammering (away), knuckling down, pitching in, attacking, driving, essaying, trying, exercising, exerting, overexerting, overworking, eking out, grinding (out), putting out, scrabbling, scratching, wading, jogging, wallowing, weltering, faltering, lurching, reeling, staggering, swaying, teetering, tottering

Near Antonyms of Plodding

breaking, easing (up), letting up, slackening, bumming, chilling, dallying, dillydallying, footling, goldbricking, goofing (off), hacking (around), hanging (around or out), idling, lazing, loafing, lounging, shirking, slacking (off), vegging out, basking, lolling, relaxing, reposing, resting, unwinding, dabbling, doodling, fooling around, fribbling

Word Forms of Plodding

Inflections: plodded

Derived words: plod (noun), plodder (noun), ploddingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Plodding

origin unknown

First known use: 1562i

Frequently Asked Questions about Plodding

What does "Plodding" mean?

"Plodding" means to work laboriously and monotonously, drudge. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to work laboriously and monotonously, drudge. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Plodding"?

Other words for "Plodding" include determined, dogged, patient, persevering, persistent, pertinacious, relentless and steadfast. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Plodding" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Plodding"?

There are 174 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Plodding". Common alternatives include determined, dogged, patient, persevering, persistent, pertinacious, relentless, steadfast, steady and stubborn.

What is the opposite of "Plodding"?

Antonyms of "Plodding" include indolent, lackadaisical, laggard, lazy, listless, shiftless, slothful and sluggish. Near antonyms include breaking, easing (up), letting up and slackening.

How do you use "Plodding" in a sentence?

Examples of "Plodding" in a sentence: "plodded night and day to get the assignment done"; "oxen plodding through deep mud"; "plodded reluctantly off to work".

Is "Plodding" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Plodding" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Plodding"?

"Plodding" is pronounced /ˈpläd/.

What is the origin of the word "Plodding"?

"Plodding" comes from origin unknown. First known use: 1562i.