Slug — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈsləg/

Meaning & Definition of Slug

Slug (noun)

  1. sluggard
  2. a lump, disk, or cylinder of material (such as plastic or metal)
  3. a musket ball
  4. a heavy blow especially with the fist

Slug (verb)

  1. to add a printer's slug to
  2. to drink in gulps —often used with down
  3. to strike heavily with or as if with the fist or a bat
  4. fight —usually used in the phrase slug it out

Slug (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument

    "one well aimed slug on the head knocked him out"

    similar: bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, douse (British), fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup (dialect), lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, swipe, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop
    related: counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, bastinado, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling, drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling, thrashing, flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

  2. a lazy person

    "he's always a slug in the morning, which is why he prefers to sleep late"

    similar: couch potato, deadbeat, do-nothing, drone, idler, layabout, lazybones, loafer, lotus-eater, slouch, slugabed, sluggard
    related: bum, good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well, crawler, creeper, dawdler, laggard, putterer, slowpoke, snail, stick-in-the-mud, straggler, clock-watcher, goldbrick, malingerer, shirker, slacker, dallier, lingerer, loiterer, loller, lounger, saunterer, delayer, procrastinator, dropout, quitter
    opposite: doer, go-ahead, go-getter, hummer, hustler, self-starter
    near: achiever, comer, highflier, live wire, powerhouse

  3. the portion of a serving of a beverage that is swallowed at one time

    "knocked back another slug of whiskey"

    similar: belt, draft, drag, drink, gulp, nip, quaff, shot, sip, snort, sup, swallow, swig, swill
    related: dram, drop

Slug (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner

    "she got so angry that she slugged the back of the chair and knocked it over"

    similar: bang, bash, bat, belt, biff, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, hit, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, tag, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap, hang one on
    related: batter, beat, buffet, bung, chop, cuff, drub, lace, lambaste, lick, mangle, maul, pelt, pepper, pommel, pummel, rough, scuff, bunt, flick, stroke, tap, bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp, bowl (down or over), cream, deck, dump (slang), fell, floor, knock down, level, rabbit-punch, sucker punch, cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip, bean, brain, conk, skull

Related Entry: Slug (down) (verb)

Slug (down) is a different word from Slug. The synonyms below are for slug (down), not for slug.

  1. to swallow in liquid form

    "slugging down endless bottles of water in the intense heat"

    similar: belt (down), drink, gulp, guzzle, hoist, imbibe, knock back, pound (down), quaff, sip, slurp, sup, swig, swill, toss (down or off)
    related: lap, lick, suck, consume, down, ingurgitate, kill, mouth (down), put away, nip, tipple, pledge, toast, wine

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Slug

The most common words with a similar meaning to Slug:

British: douse
Dialect: larrup
bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Slug

Words with the opposite meaning of Slug:

doer, go-ahead, go-getter, hummer, hustler, self-starter

Related Words for Slug

counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, bastinado, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling

Near Antonyms of Slug

achiever, comer, highflier, live wire, powerhouse

Word Forms of Slug

Inflections: slugged, slugging

Origin & Etymology of Slug

Middle English slugge, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect slugga to walk sluggishly

First known use: 15th century

Words & Phrases Containing Slug

slug it out, rose slug, sea slug

Frequently Asked Questions about Slug

What does "Slug" mean?

"Slug" means sluggard. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: sluggard. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Slug"?

Other words for "Slug" include bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow and bop. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Slug" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Slug"?

There are 214 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Slug". Common alternatives include bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box and buffet.

What is the opposite of "Slug"?

Antonyms of "Slug" include doer, go-ahead, go-getter, hummer, hustler and self-starter. Near antonyms include achiever, comer, highflier and live wire.

How do you use "Slug" in a sentence?

Examples of "Slug" in a sentence: "one well aimed slug on the head knocked him out"; "he's always a slug in the morning, which is why he prefers to sleep late"; "knocked back another slug of whiskey".

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

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

How do you pronounce "Slug"?

"Slug" is pronounced /ˈsləg/.

What is the origin of the word "Slug"?

"Slug" comes from Middle English slugge, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect slugga to walk sluggishly. First known use: 15th century.