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to plod

to plod

4 5.5
To walk slowly with heavy steps because you are tired
  • verb
  • /plɑd/
translation icon : caminar pesadamente
  • After a long day of hiking, we began to plod slowly back to camp, our legs heavy with fatigue.
  • plod along

Examples

  • Endlessly they plod beneath the sheaves of wheat and endlessly return for more.

  • She plods through the deep mud, struggling to maintain her balance as she makes her way home.

  • The minutes plod by on the screen, and each one is just like any other.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • People scatter, slow to a walk, drift into small groups, plod through the rain.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • But most people in the world ignore evidence and plod along with what they hope would be true.

    Blog text (5)
  • But at least, throughout all these, India plods along in its experiments in democracy.

    Blog text (16)
  • Jonathan plods along, staring at the ground, barely caring to step around the puddles

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Scalapino plods to the kitchen in his pajamas, not yet awake.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The camels slowly and indifferently plod along the seemingly endless sands, their impassive riders gently swaying with each camel movement.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The tired farmer plodded home after a long day in the fields, his feet feeling heavy with exhaustion.

Synonyms

to drag
vsto plod
179 2.8

To move slowly and with effort because you are tired

is more about heavy weighted steps rather than reluctance or slowness alone
to shuffle
vsto plod
45 3.8

To walk by dragging your feet along the ground

involves full heavy steps lifted higher rather than dragged along the ground
to trudge
vsto plod
21 5.5

To walk slowly with heavy steps because you are tired

is similar but often stresses slow heavy movement from general effort
to tramp
vsto plod
17 5.5

To walk with heavy steps, often over rough ground

is like this but often used for shorter slow heavy movement
to pound
vsto plod
11 3.1

To walk with heavy noisy steps that make a loud sound

is heavy and slow but not necessarily forceful or repeated pounding
to pad
vsto plod
10 6.4

To walk with heavy, steady steps, often when tired

is similar but tends to feel more laboured and slower rather than steady
to clomp
vsto plod
4 7.5

To walk with heavy, noisy steps that make a loud sound

is quieter and more about slow weighty movement than loud steps
to stump
vsto plod
2 5.9

To walk with heavy noisy steps that show effort or anger

is similar in weight but usually less focused on noise or clumsiness
to clump
vsto plod
2 4.9

To walk with heavy, clumsy, noisy steps

is heavier and slow from effort rather than mainly clumsy noise
to galumph
vsto plod
  • Informal
1 9.9

To move in a heavy, noisy, and clumsy way

is more about slow steady heavy steps than playful clumsiness
to slog
vsto plod
1 5.3

To walk slowly with heavy steps, often through mud or when tired

is similar but focuses more on tiredness than specific terrain
to footslog
vsto plod
8.7

To walk slowly and with effort over long or difficult ground

covers the same heavy pace but not limited to long marches

Antonyms

91 1.0

To move or work very quickly to reach a goal

55 2.1

A short, very fast run over a small distance

Phrasal Verbs

To work slowly and steadily through a task despite finding it hard

How Effortful

to slog
5 6.7
to trudge
21 5.5
to plod
4 5.5
crawl
19 2.7
to walk
1.0
to stroll
122 1.8

Surface Forms

plod infinitive
plodded past
plodded past participle
plodding present participle
plods third person singular

Etymology

Plod comes from the same heavy sound 'plod-plod' of slow footsteps, a helpful way to remember the beat of each step. So to plod is 'to walk slowly with heavy steps', often because you are tired or the way is hard to move through.