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

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

From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026

WSJ | Buy Side: The Owala FreeSip water bottle has it all: a unique top that lets you sip or chug, stainless steel to keep water cold all day and special color offerings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 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

There are three in the house: Louise, an 18-year-old puggle; Henry, a 13-year-old Chihuahua terrier and Lily, a 1½-year-old chug.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2026

There was no life out on this bitter brown expanse, and only the steady chug of the engine and the subdued splashing of the water under the bows broke the wide silence.

From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman

Massie even chugged a celebratory glass of raw milk.

From Slate ● May 20, 2026

The Welsh region had taken a surprise lead through tries from Ryan Elias and Archie Hughes but once the Saints juggernaut chugged into gear, they seemed to be running away with it.

From Barron's ● Jan. 18, 2026

The investment bank and financial-services firm chugged along for years without much notice, specializing in bond trading and deals in risky corners of the finance world that competitors avoided.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 26, 2025

I chugged cups of instant black coffee like water, not paying much heed to the bitter, pungent aftertaste that lingered on my tongue and scorched my throat.

From Salon ● Nov. 6, 2025

Softly rounded rectangular buses chugged up and down the streets, trailing a stream of black smoke that made your eyes water.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

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

But it reaches across Main Street and Wall Street and does better when the whole economy is chugging along.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026

A market that keeps chugging ahead doesn’t preclude plenty of volatility under the surface, and it might not stay there.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

The Coalwood tipple would no longer lift coal out of the mine, and no more trains would go chugging through town or spewing dust off the coal cars.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam