plodded; plodding

intransitive verb

1
: to work laboriously and monotonously : drudge
2
a
: to walk heavily or slowly : trudge
b
: to proceed slowly or tediously
the movie's plot just plods along

transitive verb

: to tread slowly or heavily along or over
plod noun
plodder noun
ploddingly adverb

Examples of plod in a Sentence

We plodded through mud that came up past our ankles. I could hear my roommate plodding up the steps to our apartment. We plodded our way across the muddy field. He plodded through his work. The day was plodding along.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
No longer were Black Sabbath playing plodding, primitive heavy rockers; there was a new sophistication in the band’s music and Osbourne’s performances. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025 Natasha Kermani’s adaptation plods and waits to strike too late in the game. Randy Myers, Mercury News, 10 July 2025 This is otherwise a plodding, disenchanting experience that adds some more roaring dinosaurs in exchange for any memorable characters or narrative stakes. David Sims, The Atlantic, 4 July 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 See All Example Sentences for plod

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plod was in 1562

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plod. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

plod

verb
plodded; plodding
1
: to walk heavily or slowly : trudge
2
: to work or study with effort
3
: to progress or develop slowly
plod noun
plodder noun
ploddingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on plod

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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