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

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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chug chugged chugging

The boilerplate praise chug of the song has one upside: It forces the “Rap God” to slow down.

From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2026

Rising interest rates pummeled bonds as stocks continued to chug along and favorable rule-making buoyed cryptocurrencies.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

When you feel groggy, it's tempting to chug multiple coffees or fizzy drinks.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 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

“Is Tobias still bothering you?” he asks after a long chug.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh

A generator chugged loudly outside, supplying electricity after the power had been cut off.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Mike Wanchic and Larry Crane’s guitars never chugged more cooperatively.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

Massie even chugged a celebratory glass of raw milk.

From Slate ● May 20, 2026

That was the case in the final moments of a sluggish overtime, during which Taylor chugged through a tired Falcons defense.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2025

They chugged into the dock, tying up at the far end.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

Meanwhile, Cardi’s career campaign keeps chugging along fiercely.

From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2026

So, how well do you know the companies that keep the country chugging?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Silver may become more attractive than gold if the economy keeps chugging along, because of its industrial uses.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

U.S. stocks have kept chugging higher this year, but bonds haven’t been able to shake off a five-year slump.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

With a tight throat and chugging heart, I looked out to the audience, trying not to telegraph my panic, searching for the safe harbor of my mother’s face.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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