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

---

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

Meanwhile, SSE continues to chug forward amid mixed weather conditions and consistent profit expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 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 motor caught and started with a chug.

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep

Massie even chugged a celebratory glass of raw milk.

From Slate ● May 20, 2026

At one point on Thursday the train chugged past a queue of trucks waiting for fuel -- the trains themselves run on diesel, with the state railway company maintaining its own stocks.

From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 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

Jarring the ground with its big pounding wheels, the engine chugged by us.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

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

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

Two years ago, with the economy chugging along and inflation falling, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell dispatched a question about stagflation with humor rather than scorn.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 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

The train is chugging forward now, gathering steam.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen