1
as in relentless
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2
as in ambling
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in laboring
to devote serious and sustained effort
plodded night and day to get the assignment done
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stumbling
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
oxen plodding through deep mud
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3
as in dragging
to move slowly
plodded reluctantly off to work
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4
as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
wayfarers plodding across the sandy wastes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plodding
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
His jogging gait is a bit plodding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
His two-time matchup was Alejandro Kirk, an excellent hitter but, at 5-foot-8 and 245 pounds, a plodding runner.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Where the film falters is in its plodding rhythm and clunky dialogue, much of which is delivered too flatly by actors who don’t exactly steal their scenes.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
At a plodding pace, the desert wilderness can be admired in all its granular splendor.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
But the small lineup has helped with spacing, creating more driving lanes for Dent while also allowing Bilodeau to beat more plodding counterparts on offense.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Wisconsin was one of the nation’s most plodding teams under former coach Bo Ryan and continued that way under former assistant Greg Gard, as recently as two seasons ago ranking in the 300s in Division I in tempo.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
Occasionally, as in the obscurity of Legion’s later episodes or the plodding pace of some Fargo plots, this approach can verge on self-indulgence.
—Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Scott Pelley, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
The story was plodding, the characters frustrating, and the transitions through time poorly executed.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Previous to that, markets had expected multiple cuts this year in an effort to shore up the plodding labor market.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator, Jared Isaacman, overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator Jared Isaacman overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The production of interceptors has been plodding.
—Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Prior to this life explosion, Bill was a casual runner, plodding along in a few marathons and Ironmans.
—Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2026
Dust icily exposes how character can evaporate in the crucible of greed, but the plodding pace makes this ethical exercise feel attenuated and flat by the time the climax rolls around.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Neither is known for having much of an off-the-dribble game that could hurt the plodding Porzingis or Horford.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
His jogging gait is a bit plodding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
His two-time matchup was Alejandro Kirk, an excellent hitter but, at 5-foot-8 and 245 pounds, a plodding runner.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Where the film falters is in its plodding rhythm and clunky dialogue, much of which is delivered too flatly by actors who don’t exactly steal their scenes.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
At a plodding pace, the desert wilderness can be admired in all its granular splendor.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
But the small lineup has helped with spacing, creating more driving lanes for Dent while also allowing Bilodeau to beat more plodding counterparts on offense.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Wisconsin was one of the nation’s most plodding teams under former coach Bo Ryan and continued that way under former assistant Greg Gard, as recently as two seasons ago ranking in the 300s in Division I in tempo.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
Occasionally, as in the obscurity of Legion’s later episodes or the plodding pace of some Fargo plots, this approach can verge on self-indulgence.
—Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Senate should be plodding, and steady, and boring, and trustworthy.
—Scott Pelley, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
The story was plodding, the characters frustrating, and the transitions through time poorly executed.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Previous to that, markets had expected multiple cuts this year in an effort to shore up the plodding labor market.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator, Jared Isaacman, overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator Jared Isaacman overhauled the Artemis program in February.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The production of interceptors has been plodding.
—Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Prior to this life explosion, Bill was a casual runner, plodding along in a few marathons and Ironmans.
—Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2026
Dust icily exposes how character can evaporate in the crucible of greed, but the plodding pace makes this ethical exercise feel attenuated and flat by the time the climax rolls around.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plodding
Adjective
-
All three are relentless in puck battles, and Östlund adds just enough playmaking to complement Benson and Doan, both of whom love getting to the front of the net.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The show traces Knox’s relentless years–long fight to prove her innocence and reclaim her freedom while examining why authorities and the world stood so firmly in judgment against her.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
26 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 title track, with its glassy melody and woozy, almost stumbling groove, deploys wholesome, end-of-the-night, comedown energy not unlike Bicep’s most beloved tracks.—
Reid BG,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Pack comfortable shoes and enjoy stumbling upon the secrets of the city.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sam instead proposes that the performer dance to it without music, a prompt that is followed by Anne Hathaway flinging herself across the room, dragging her body across the floor in a hypnotic spectacle that seems to convey struggle, possession, and loss of control.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Even the sleeker Samsonite Proxis feels substantial without dragging you over the limit.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There was major line shuffling overall by Cooper on this night, not just Kucherov, but tweaks to three lines, which ended up looking a little different than what was shown in pregame warmup.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
YoshimiO, sharing fellow ’90s icon Flea’s recent interest in the instrument, turns in a credible trumpet line during the track’s shuffling, exuberant second half.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Patients with hemimegalencephaly can suffer from unremitting epilepsy and intellectual disabilities, and often need neurosurgery during infancy.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
There seemed to be an element of sadomasochistic play in their relationship, of withholding and succumbing, that contravenes the popular sense of an unremitting dominant-submissive dynamic.—
Daphne Merkin,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
For this Nuggets lineup, the average comes out to a pedestrian 6-9, with three capable perimeter defenders to assist the heavy-footed centers, two 40% 3-point shooters to space the floor, and a surplus of play-making talent.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The Knicks whipped the ball around the perimeter before Brunson used a Towns screen as a decoy to freeze Gobert and launch a pass to Anunoby that he’s forced to catch in stride and blow past the heavy-footed center for a bucket.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Plodding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plodding. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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