plug away

VERB

drudge

Synonyms

STRONG

grind away hammer away/hammer into labor muck perform plod pound away slog sweat toil travail

WEAK

back to the salt mines dig in keep nose to grindstone

Antonyms

STRONG

idle laze

WEAK

avoid be lazy dodge hesitate

VERB

hammer away/hammer into

Synonyms

WEAK

continue drive home drub into drudge drum into endeavor grind grind into impress upon instruct keep on peg away persevere persist pound away repeat stick to try hard try repeatedly work

VERB

keep one's nose to the grindstone

Synonyms

WEAK

hammer away keep one's shoulder to the wheel peg away put one's nose to the grindstone struggle on wade through work hard

VERB

labor

Synonyms

STRONGEST

strive sweat tend toil

STRONG

cultivate drive drudge endeavor grind away plod strain struggle travail

WEAK

exert oneself pour it on work oneself to the bone

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ignore neglect

STRONG

be lazy idle laze rest

WEAK

relax

VERB

moil

Synonyms

STRONG

back cultivate drive drudge endeavor fag grind plod slave strain strive struggle sweat tend toil travail tug work

WEAK

bear down exert oneself pour it on work oneself to the bone

Antonyms

STRONG

be lazy destroy discourage dissuade idle ignore laze neglect rest

VERB

persevere

Synonyms

STRONGEST

endure hold on keep going persist press on proceed pursue stand firm

STRONG

continue maintain remain

WEAK

be determined be resolved be stubborn carry on go for broke go for it go on hang in hang tough hold fast keep driving keep on leave no stone unturned see it through stay the course stick with it

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cease discontinue give up stop

WEAK

be lazy idle leave quit

VERB

plod

Synonyms

STRONG

drudge grind labor persevere scratch slave sweat toil

WEAK

bear down buckle down knuckle down plough through

Antonyms

STRONG

be lazy idle laze

WEAK

breeze tiptoe walk lightly

VERB

struggle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cope seek strive tackle toil try

STRONG

assay attempt dig endeavor grind hassle hustle offer plug scratch slave strain sweat undertake

WEAK

bend over backwards break one's back break one's neck exert oneself give it one's best shot give the old college try go all out have one's nose to grindstone make every effort take a crack take a stab take on try one's hardest work like a dog

Antonyms

STRONGEST

forget idle neglect

STRONG

be lazy ignore laze procrastinate withhold

WEAK

rest surrender yield

VERB

work

Synonyms

STRONGEST

labor manage pursue strive toil try

STRONG

dig drive drudge freelance hustle manufacture moil moonlight ply slog specialize strain sweat

WEAK

apply oneself be gainfully employed buckle down carry on do a job do business earn a living have a job hold a job knuckle down nine-to-five it peg away punch a clock take on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

stop

STRONG

be lazy idle laze

WEAK

destroy relax rest

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He decamped to Southern California with his brother Ira to plug away in Hollywood, seeing better times in Los Angeles instead of the East Coast.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2024

Former world number one Murray, with metal inserted into his hip joint, continues to plug away as he aims for another deep run at a major.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2024

Or would they plug away at the tree they knew best?

From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2023

Structural biologists continue to plug away at the remaining unsolved proteins in the coronavirus genome.

From Nature • May 14, 2020

“But I have to plug away at it, and when I get through I know less than when I started.”

From Andy at Yale Or, The Great Quadrangle Mystery by Stokes, Roy Eliot

plug away

Example Sentences

Related Words