to slug away at - Glite Dictionary

Examples

She slugged away at her thesis for months before finally finishing it.
I will slug away at this project until it's finished.
Despite the pouring rain, the team kept slugging away at the construction site until sunset.
She slugs away at her assignments every night.
Despite the pouring rain, the team kept slugging away at the construction site until sunset.
I've been slugging away at this report all weekend, but it's still not done.
I will slug away at this project until it's finished.

Synonyms

to dig

vsto slug away at

23 2.6

To work hard at a task for a long time

is broader focusing on general effort rather than emphasis on length

to plug away

vsto slug away at

Informal

6 5.2

To work slowly and steadily on a difficult task

emphasizes long persistent effort rather than steady determined pace

to hammer away at

vsto slug away at

Informal

5 4.8

To work hard for a long time on something

focuses on continuous hard effort rather than just steady progress

to slog

vsto slug away at

5 6.7

To work hard for a long time on a task that is difficult or tiring

stresses persistence over long time rather than occasional effort

to work away

vsto slug away at

5 3.7

To keep doing a job or task without stopping for a long time

means long ongoing effort rather than concentrated intense work

to keep one's nose to the grindstone

vsto slug away at

Informal

1 7.7

To work hard for a long time on a difficult task without stopping

stresses continuous disciplined effort rather than occasional persistence

to drudge

vsto slug away at

1 7.0

To work hard at boring, repetitive tasks for a long time

focuses on tedious low-status tasks rather than general persistent effort

to grind away

vsto slug away at

Informal

1 6.3

Work hard for a long time on something, often before an exam or deadline

is about steady long effort rather than short intensive bursts

to beaver away

vsto slug away at

UK

1 6.4

To work hard and steadily for a long time

focuses more on continuous long effort rather than occasional hard work

to peg away

vsto slug away at

UK

8.6

To keep working for a long time on something difficult or boring

is similar but highlights longer duration rather than simple steadiness

to blaze away at

vsto slug away at

Informal

7.1

To work on a task with a lot of energy for a long time

emphasizes vigorous energy rather than steady long persistence

Antonyms

to give up

∞ 1.2

To stop trying to do something or accept defeat

to procrastinate

26 6.5

To delay doing something you should do because you avoid it

How Hard

to slave

47 5.3

to slug away at

Informal

6.3

to work at

489 2.3

to try

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

slug away at infinitive

slugged away at past

slugged away at past participle

slugging away at present participle

slugs away at third person singular

Morphology

slug + away + at

The core verb 'slug' (as provided) means to idle or to strike, which does not transparently combine with 'away' + 'at' to yield 'work hard and persistently'; the continuous particle 'away' and preposition 'at' signal ongoing action but do not supply the required sense. Additionally, this form is likely a variant or confusion with 'slog away at' (meaning to work hard), so a learner who knows the literal constituents would not reliably infer the intended sense without prior exposure.

Etymology

Slug away at comes from the image of giving hard, repeated hits. The verb slug means to hit something hard, so to slug away at a task is like striking it again and again. That's why it now means 'to work hard and persistently at something'.