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

If it were the fuel system, the engine would turn and chug, but not start.

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner

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

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

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

“The Santa Fe steamer chugged into town—three days early....”

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool

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

And if they had, it was quickly overshadowed by something else in our breakneck news cycle, like FBI director Kash Patel chugging beer with the gold medal–winning men’s hockey team.

From Slate ● Feb. 25, 2026

He noted that policymakers' comments point toward patience and that the economy is chugging along.

From Barron's ● Feb. 11, 2026

Around midnight, I heard the familiar car chugging up Overlook Road and pulling into the gravel.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King