as in struggling
to devote serious and sustained effort
the writer pegged away at his first novel for three years before he felt that it was ready to be published
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pegging (away)
Verb
-
As the city morphs into a luxury tourist destination, struggling small businesses are pushing to retain the character that drew many tourists in the first place.—
Laura Millan,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026 -
If your friend is lonely or struggling to establish her identity without her sister living in the house, time with friends and time intentionally getting to know herself will be more productive.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These families often manage substantial archives through private LLCs, striving to preserve and amplify the artists’ reputations without the institutional backing or capital that buoy larger foundations.—
Angelica Villa,
ARTnews.com,
1 May 2026
-
These organizations, striving to fill the information gap created by the state government’s increasing drift toward secrecy — can’t rely on taxpayers to pay their bills.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For the rest of us, the construction kickoff means delay upon delay as streets, avenues and roads are awash with heavy equipment and construction workers laboring with jackhammers, picks and shovels.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Trump poses as a pro-worker force, but his policies are atrocious for the laboring class.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The National Conflict Resolution Center has hosted this event for 38 years now, to recognize individuals and organizations working with passion and purpose toward a better future for all Americans.—
Steven P. Dinkin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Clear, kind boundaries keep things working.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Pegging (away).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pegging%20%28away%29. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
