Plug — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈpləg/

Meaning & Definition of Plug

Plug (noun)

  1. a piece used to fill a hole, stopper
  2. an obtruding or obstructing mass of material resembling a stopper
  3. a flat compressed cake of tobacco

Plug (verb)

  1. to stop, make tight, or secure by inserting a plug
  2. to remedy (a deficiency) as if by inserting a plug
  3. to hit with a bullet, shoot

Plug (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to close up so that no empty spaces remain

    "plugged the hole in the wall with putty"

    similar: block, bung, dam, fill, pack, stop, stuff
    related: choke, clog, close (off), clot, congest, jam, obstruct, occlude, caulk, chink, seal, repack, restuff
    near: excavate, hollow (out), scoop (out), shovel

  2. to devote serious and sustained effort

    "plugged away at solving the math problem"

    similar: bang away, beaver (away), dig (away), drudge, endeavor, fag, grub, hump, hustle, labor, moil, peg (away), plod, plow, 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

  3. to provide publicity for

    "the actress is giving lots of interviews to plug her latest movie"

    similar: ballyhoo, boost, hype, pitch, promote, publicize, talk up, tout, beat the drum (for)
    related: advertise, bark, merchandise, sell, push, acclaim, hail, laud, praise, endorse, plump (for), plunk (for), recommend, review, announce, broadcast, publish

  4. 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"

    similar: drill, gun, pop, shoot
    related: blow away, bring down, drop, pick off, shoot down, blaze, pepper, potshot, snipe (at), blast (at), fire (at), pistol, shotgun, machine-gun, tommy-gun, croak (slang), destroy, dispatch, do in, fell, ice (slang), kill, slay, annihilate, blot out, butcher, decimate, massacre, slaughter, wipe out

Plug (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in spot, word

    similar: ad, advertisement, commercial, message, promotion, spot, word, ballyhoo, hype, publicity, puffery, banner, bill, billboard, placard, poster, sign, advertising, marketing, propaganda, pronouncement, publication, release, broadcast, bulletin, dispatch, newscast, report, story, ink (slang), testimonial, write-up

  2. as in skate, cob

    similar: cob, dobbin, jade, skate, equine, nag, steed, equid, colt, filly, foal, gelding, mare, stallion, bronco, mustang, pony, charger, courser, cow pony, cutting horse, galloper, hack, hackney, mount, packhorse, prancer, quarter horse, racehorse, saddle horse, trotter, warhorse, workhorse, bay, black, buckskin, chestnut, dun, palomino, pinto, roan, skewbald, sorrel

  3. as in scent, spinner

    similar: scent, spinner, stool pigeon, hook, snare, troll, appeal, attraction, call, draw, incentive, pull, ambush, net, trap, enticement, seducement, seduction, temptation, bait, decoy, lure, entanglement, entrapment
    opposite: repellent

Related Entry: Plug (up) (verb)

Plug (up) is a different word from Plug. The synonyms below are for plug (up), not for plug.

  1. to prevent passage through by filling with something

    "hair plugged up the drain"

    similar: block, choke, clog, clot, congest, dam, gum (up), jam, obstruct, occlude, stop (up), stuff
    related: bung, cork, spile, stopper, stopple, fill, gridlock, pack, fur, silt, flood, glut, inundate, overwhelm, swamp
    opposite: clear, free, open (up), unblock, unclog, unplug, unstop
    near: excavate, hollow (out), scoop (out), empty, lighten

Related Entry: Plug-ugly (noun)

Plug-ugly is a different word from Plug. The synonyms below are for plug-ugly, not for plug.

  1. a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang

    "sent over a couple of hulking plug-uglies to rough up the store owner"

    similar: bully, gangbanger, gangsta, gangster, goon, gorilla, hood, hoodlum, hooligan, mobster, mug, punk, roughneck, rowdy, ruffian, thug, tough, toughie, yob (British), yobbo (British)
    related: cutthroat, scoundrel, villain, assassin, bandit, bravo, brigand, criminal, crook, desperado, felon, gunman, highwayman, lawbreaker, mafioso, malefactor, offender, outlaw, perp, perpetrator, pirate, pickpocket, racketeer, robber, swindler, thief, vandal, juvenile delinquent, tearaway (British)

Related Entry: Plug (away) (verb)

Plug (away) is a different word from Plug. The synonyms below are for plug (away), not for plug.

  1. as in work, peg (away)

    similar: grind, hump, hustle, peg (away), plod, plow, work, carry on, pitch in, plunge (in), exert, exhaust, put out, spend, strain, stress, tax, trouble, wear out, busy, commit, concern, engage, involve, knuckle down, set (to), settle (down), readdress, reapply, address, apply, bend, buckle, devote, give
    opposite: dally, dawdle, dillydally, fiddle (around), fool around, idle, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

Related Entry: Plug hat (noun)

Plug hat is a different word from Plug. The synonyms below are for plug hat, not for plug.

  1. as in baseball cap, cowboy hat

    similar: baseball cap, beret, billycock (British), biretta, boater, bonnet, bowler, calotte, capuche, casque, castor, cloche, cocked hat, cowboy hat, cowl, derby, fedora, fez, garrison cap, hard hat, helm, helmet, high hat, homburg, hood, kepi, kufi, leghorn, miter, nightcap, opera hat, overseas cap, panama, picture hat, pillbox, porkpie hat, service cap, shako, silk hat, skimmer, skullcap, sombrero, sou'wester, Stetson, stocking cap, stovepipe, sunbonnet, tam, tam-o'-shanter, ten-gallon hat, top hat, topper, toque, tricorne, turban, zucchetto, cap, chapeau, hat, headdress, headgear, headpiece, lid (slang), warbonnet

Related Entry: Plug hats (noun)

Plug hats is a different word from Plug. The synonyms below are for plug hats, not for plug.

  1. as in baseball caps, cowboy hats

    similar: baseball caps, berets, billycocks (British), birettas, boaters, bonnets, bowlers, calottes, capuches, casques, castors, cloches, cocked hats, cowboy hats, cowls, derbies, fedoras, fezzes, garrison caps, hard hats, helmets, helms, high hats, homburgs, hoods, kepis, kufis, leghorns, miters, nightcaps, opera hats, overseas caps, panamas, picture hats, pillboxes, porkpie hats, service caps, shakos, silk hats, skimmers, skullcaps, sombreros, sou'westers, Stetsons, stocking caps, stovepipes, sunbonnets, tam-o'-shanters, tams, ten-gallon hats, top hats, toppers, toques, tricornes, turbans, zucchettos, caps, chapeaus, hats, headdresses, headgears, headpieces, lids (slang), warbonnets

Related Entry: Plug-uglies (noun)

Plug-uglies is a different word from Plug. The synonyms below are for plug-uglies, not for plug.

  1. a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang

    "sent over a couple of hulking plug-uglies to rough up the store owner"

    similar: bullies, gangbangers, gangstas, gangsters, goons, gorillas, hoodlums, hoods, hooligans, mobsters, mugs, punks, roughnecks, rowdies, ruffians, thugs, toughies, toughs, yobbos (British), yobs (British)
    related: cutthroats, scoundrels, villains, assassins, bandits, bravos, brigands, criminals, crooks, desperadoes, felons, gunmen, highwaymen, lawbreakers, mafiosi, malefactors, offenders, outlaws, perpetrators, perps, pirates, pickpockets, racketeers, robbers, swindlers, thieves, vandals, juvenile delinquents, tearaways (British)

Related Entry: Plugger (noun)

Plugger is a different word from Plug. The synonyms below are for plugger, not for plug.

  1. a person who does very hard or dull work

    "the quiet pluggers are the ones who really keep this company going"

    similar: dogsbody (chiefly British), drone, drudge, drudger, foot soldier, grub, grubber, grunt, laborer, peon, slave, slogger, toiler, worker
    related: workhorse, serf
    near: goldbrick, shirker, idler, lazybones, loafer, slouch, slug, sluggard

Related Entry: Pull (verb)

Pull is a different word from Plug. The synonyms below are for pull, not for plug.

  1. to cause to follow by applying steady force on

    "a team of horses pulling a heavy wagon"

    similar: drag, draw, hale, haul, lug, tow, tug
    related: attract, heave, jerk, yank, carry, convey, ferry, move, transport
    opposite: drive, propel, push
    near: shove, thrust

  2. to draw out by force or with effort

    "the dentist had to struggle to pull the tooth"

    similar: corkscrew, extract, prize, pry, root (out), tear (out), uproot, wrest, wring, yank
    related: mine, pluck, remove, take (out), withdraw
    near: implant, insert, install, instill, cram, jam, ram, stuff, wedge

  3. to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure

    "lift the crate carefully, or you'll pull a muscle"

    similar: rack, strain, stretch, wrench
    related: fray, tax, weaken, damage, harm, hurt, impair, wound, batter, bruise, tear, cripple, lame, mangle, mutilate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Plug

The most common words with a similar meaning to Plug:

Slang: ink
block, bung, dam, fill, pack, stop, stuff, bang away, beaver (away), dig (away), drudge, endeavor, fag, grub, hump, hustle, labor, moil, peg (away), plod, plow, slave, slog, strain, strive, struggle, sweat, toil, travail, tug, work, ballyhoo, boost, hype, pitch, promote, publicize, talk up, tout, drill

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Plug

Words with the opposite meaning of Plug:

repellent

Related Words for Plug

choke, clog, close (off), clot, congest, jam, obstruct, occlude, caulk, chink, seal, repack, restuff, 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

Near Antonyms of Plug

excavate, hollow (out), scoop (out), shovel, 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

Word Forms of Plug

Inflections: plugged, plugging

Derived words: plugger (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Plug

Dutch, from Middle Dutch plugge; akin to Middle High German pfloc plug

First known use: 1606

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Plug

Words & Phrases Containing Plug

plug and play, plug hat, plug-in, plug into, plug in, plug-ugly, plug away

Frequently Asked Questions about Plug

What does "Plug" mean?

"Plug" means a piece used to fill a hole, stopper. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a piece used to fill a hole, stopper. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Plug"?

Other words for "Plug" include block, bung, dam, fill, pack, stop, stuff and bang away. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Plug" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Plug"?

There are 221 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Plug". Common alternatives include block, bung, dam, fill, pack, stop, stuff, bang away, beaver (away) and dig (away).

What is the opposite of "Plug"?

Antonyms of "Plug" include repellent. Near antonyms include excavate, hollow (out), scoop (out) and shovel.

How do you use "Plug" in a sentence?

Examples of "Plug" in a sentence: "plugged the hole in the wall with putty"; "plugged away at solving the math problem"; "the actress is giving lots of interviews to plug her latest movie".

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

"Plug" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Plug" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Plug" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Plug"?

"Plug" is pronounced /ˈpləg/.