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

Hanlon agreed that niche players such as Curiosity Stream, which specializes in documentary programming, and art house film specialists Criterion Collection, can continue to chug along as the bigger players battle it out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025

We gobble up our sandwiches and chug down our milk while Mami stands over us trying to get us to slow down.

From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar

Massie even chugged a celebratory glass of raw milk.

From Slate ● May 20, 2026

“Let Me Roll It” had a funky swagger, while “Getting Better” chugged with cheerful insistence; “I’ve Just Seen a Face” showed off the group’s crisp harmonies and “Lady Madonna” its tight rhythmic interplay.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 28, 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

The bus chugged and groaned up the winding road.

From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor

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

Let’s hear it for lighter debt burdens: They may be one reason the economy and stock market are still chugging along.

From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026

“Now I can look forward to ruining my sleep schedule, chugging iced Americanos, and screaming at the TV at 3 a.m. for a country I don’t live in while our national team sleeps peacefully.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

That began with the shocked roar that met Rush’s first number, 1977’s “Xanadu,” a chugging slab of custom-van-tested shag splendor, akin to kicking off a trick show with the most dangerous stunt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

With his oiled-back hair and his smooth preacher voice intact, he leaned in close to his bible and kept chugging along, completely unfazed by the power outage.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx