chug

¹ American  

[chuhg] / tʃʌg /

noun

1. a short, dull, explosive sound.

   the steady chug of an engine.

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verb (used without object)

chugged, chugging

1. to make this sound.

   The motor chugged.

2. to move while making this sound.

   The train chugged along.

chug ² American  

[chuhg] / tʃʌg /

verb (used with or without object)

chugged, chugging

1. Also to swallow (a drink) in large gulps or without interruption.

   He noisily chugged the entire bottle of water, then slammed it onto the table.

   She was just sitting on the bench, chugging away on a bottle of soda.

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noun

1. a large gulp or swallow.

   He finished his beer in two chugs.

chug British  

/ tʃʌɡ /

noun

1. a short dull sound, esp one that is rapidly repeated, such as that made by an engine

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verb

1. (intr) (of an engine, etc) to operate while making such sounds

Other Word Forms

• chugger
  noun

Etymology

Origin of chug¹

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70; imitative

Origin of chug²

First recorded in 1955–60, as chug down; of imitative origin

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chug chugged chugging

“Going to Babble On” has a quicker pulse with guitars that chug, and its vibe has the melodic ease of the early-’80s pop style sometimes called yacht rock.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

So far, the broader market has continued to chug higher.

From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor left Windsor not with a regal fanfare, but with the chug of removal lorries, heading for Norfolk in the night.

From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026

But an array of other indicators show the economy continuing to chug along, albeit with the labor market in its low-hire, low-fire mode.

From Barron's ● Nov. 22, 2025

The blades whine, and the engines chug in a rhythm.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

But soon enough, stock traders learned to live with those worries—and eventually look right past them, while the U.S. economy chugged along and a new leg of the AI rally took the spotlight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Influencers in cowboy hats chugged cartons of milk.

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

Massie even chugged a celebratory glass of raw milk.

From Slate ● May 20, 2026

She’d chugged a Red Bull, which she never did, and couldn’t fall asleep.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

Another motor-boat chugged into the light with some men aboard.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

The question feels more pressing than ever given rising temperatures, heat waves and the fact that chugging water is almost a competitive sport these days.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

The group’s primal musical stew came from thoroughly American ingredients: ragged blues, chugging rock, narcotic country and hoarse soul.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

It also asked travelers to “avoid chugging your ranch outside security” lines.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

Barron’s in January outlined a road map for how to fix the struggling stock, recommending that the new CEO should focus on accelerating streaming growth and keeping the company’s successful experiences division chugging along.

From Barron's ● Apr. 9, 2026

My pulse accelerates to the beat of her unsteady heart rhythm and the slow chugging of her blood moving through her veins.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton