drudge
1 of 2verb
ˈdrəj 
drudged; drudging
intransitive verb
: to do hard, menial, or monotonous work
transitive verb
: to force to do hard, menial, or monotonous work
drudger noun
drudge
2 of 2noun
1
: one who is obliged to do menial work
2
: one whose work is routine and boring
3
: menial or tedious labor
Synonyms
Verb
- bang away
- beaver (away)
- dig (away)
- endeavor
- fag
- grub
- hump
- hustle
- labor
- moil
- peg (away)
- plod
- plow
- plug
- slave
- slog
- strain
- strive
- struggle
- sweat
- toil
- travail
- tug
- work
Noun
- dogsbody [chiefly British]
- drone
- drudger
- foot soldier
- grub
- grubber
- grunt
- laborer
- peon
- plugger
- slave
- slogger
- toiler
- worker
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb factory workers who must drudge all day at repetitive tasks Noun She was tired of working as an office drudge. worked like a drudge at a low-paying job that had few benefits
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Oxford, azcentral, 24 Mar. 2020 As ambitious Jim heads east, Ántonia is a disgraced, unmarried mother drudging on the farm for a churlish brother. Robert Garnett, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2018 So spare a thought on Tuesday for the half-million teenagers drudging through derivatives. James Markarian, WSJ, 14 May 2018 While drudging through hateful comments can definitely make a negative impact on your mental health, reading kind comments out loud could act as an antidote. Brittney Mcnamara, Teen Vogue, 20 June 2017 Bon Appétit Contributor, Bon Appétit, 12 Aug. 2022 The new reality of the past couple years has undoubtedly come with new routines — like instead of that daily drudge through the sticky streets to catch your train, your commute now may consist of moving from your bed to your couch. R29 Unbothered, refinery29.com, 11 Aug. 2022 Samuel Johnson used similar language—harmless drudge—to describe the lexicographer who compiles a dictionary. Alexandra Horowitz, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2022 As any power-walker, commuter or chore drudge could tell you, the podcast is the multitasker’s best friend. San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Nov. 2021 It’s a Cinderella story, minus everything but the drudge and the stepmother. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021 Chances are, you’ve been told to do all your high-level creative tasks in the morning and to save the boring drudge work (like answering emails) until later in the day. Pia Silva, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2021 This type of automation can also lead to a better employee experience as drudge work slides off their plates. Gil Allouche, Forbes, 12 Apr. 2021 His subsequent doldrums include encounters with the Greys, conformist drudges who dress in black and white and often plod around with their eyes glued to their phones. Washington Post, 29 July 2019 See More
Verb
While the House drudged through a partisan back-and-forth, top Republicans and Democrats in the Senate hatched a deal. Andrew Oxford, azcentral, 24 Mar. 2020 As ambitious Jim heads east, Ántonia is a disgraced, unmarried mother drudging on the farm for a churlish brother. Robert Garnett, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2018 So spare a thought on Tuesday for the half-million teenagers drudging through derivatives. James Markarian, WSJ, 14 May 2018 While drudging through hateful comments can definitely make a negative impact on your mental health, reading kind comments out loud could act as an antidote. Brittney Mcnamara, Teen Vogue, 20 June 2017 Noun
This work week has been a drudge, and the first two espresso shots are not keeping pace. Bon Appétit Contributor, Bon Appétit, 12 Aug. 2022 The new reality of the past couple years has undoubtedly come with new routines — like instead of that daily drudge through the sticky streets to catch your train, your commute now may consist of moving from your bed to your couch. R29 Unbothered, refinery29.com, 11 Aug. 2022 Samuel Johnson used similar language—harmless drudge—to describe the lexicographer who compiles a dictionary. Alexandra Horowitz, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2022 As any power-walker, commuter or chore drudge could tell you, the podcast is the multitasker’s best friend. San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Nov. 2021 It’s a Cinderella story, minus everything but the drudge and the stepmother. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021 Chances are, you’ve been told to do all your high-level creative tasks in the morning and to save the boring drudge work (like answering emails) until later in the day. Pia Silva, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2021 This type of automation can also lead to a better employee experience as drudge work slides off their plates. Gil Allouche, Forbes, 12 Apr. 2021 His subsequent doldrums include encounters with the Greys, conformist drudges who dress in black and white and often plod around with their eyes glued to their phones. Washington Post, 29 July 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English druggen
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
drudge
noun
ˈdrəj
: a person who does hard or dull work
drudge 1 of 2
noun
1
as in laborer
a person who does very hard or dull work worked like a drudge at a low-paying job that had few benefits Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- laborer
- worker
- toiler
- peon
- slave
- drudger
- dogsbody
- plugger
- slogger
- serf
- grunt
- grubber
- foot soldier
- drone
- grub
- workhorse
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- shirker
- idler
- loafer
- sluggard
- slug
- goldbrick
- slouch
- lazybones
2
as in drudgery
very hard or unpleasant work it took hours of pure drudge to sort through the junk in the basement Synonyms & Similar Words
- drudgery
- toil
- effort
- labor
- grind
- slavery
- sweat
- fatigue
- pains
- exertion
- travail
- struggle
- moil
- responsibility
- job
- trouble
- donkeywork
- tedium
- duty
- chore
- obligation
- spadework
- routine
- treadmill
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rest
- leisure
- fun
- ease
- play
- amusement
- entertainment
- diversion
- recreation
- relaxation
- decompression
- idleness
- repose
- sport
- dalliance
- inertia
- loafing
- inactivity
- inertness
- dormancy
- goldbricking
- dallying
- lounging
- lolling
drudge
2 of 2verb
as in to labor
to devote serious and sustained effort factory workers who must drudge all day at repetitive tasks Synonyms & Similar Words
- labor
- struggle
- work
- toil
- slave
- travail
- slog
- sweat
- strive
- tug
- plow
- moil
- hustle
- endeavor
- try
- fag
- plod
- grub
- hump
- strain
- plug
- bang away
- sweat blood
- peg (away)
- dig (away)
- essay
- attack
- pitch in
- beaver (away)
- trudge
- scratch
- knuckle down
- overwork
- exercise
- wade
- eke out
- exert
- drive
- dig in
- buckle (down)
- overexert
- apply (oneself)
- scrabble
- hammer (away)
- put out
- grind (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- break
- ease (up)
- shirk
- bum
- idle
- slacken
- rest
- lounge
- let up
- hang (around or out)
- dally
- chill
- slack (off)
- laze
- loaf
- goof (off)
- bask
- repose
- hack (around)
- goldbrick
- unwind
- relax
- loll
- play
- trifle
- fool around
- dabble
- footle
- hang
- dillydally
- mess around
- goof (around)
- veg out
- doodle
- hang about
- monkey (around)
- fribble
- putter (around)
- potter (around)
