plug away
Meaning(s)
1. continue to perform a task, especially one that is difficult or tedious
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
Keep plugging away at something until it's done
Analysis
To 'plug away' is a phrasal verb meaning to keep doing something or to continue to work on something with determination even though it is difficult or challenging. Similar in meaning to 'chip away' or 'work away'. This phrasal verb can be used in both social and professional contexts.
Social Examples (Basic)
- Tom found thinking about all of the different things that still needed to be done to the new house overwhelming. The best thing to do, he reasoned, is to just plug away at it until it is finished.
- I hate my job. I'm just plugging away at it until something better comes along.
Social Examples (Advance)
- Andrei found learning English very difficult, but rather than give up, he kept plugging away at it until it became second nature to him.
Professional Examples (Advance)
- Maria ended plugged away all night in order to come up with a solution to the company's distribution problem. Thanks to her tenacity, the issue was resolved by the morning.
- Automating repetitive tasks saves hours of time spent plugging away on things that need to be done every day.