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Synonyms

drudge

American  
[druhj] / drʌdʒ /

noun

  1. a person who does menial, distasteful, dull, or hard work.

  2. a person who works in a routine, unimaginative way.


verb (used without object)

drudged, drudging
  1. to perform menial, distasteful, dull, or hard work.

    Synonyms:
    slave, plod, grub, hack, toil
drudge British  
/ drʌdʒ /

noun

  1. a person, such as a servant, who works hard at wearisome menial tasks

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (intr) to toil at such tasks

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • drudger noun
  • drudgingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of drudge

1485–95; compare OE man's name Drycghelm helmet maker, equivalent to drycg (akin to drēogan to work) + helm helm 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But if the new lines go through for 2026, they could pit long-serving older members of the Texas delegation against younger newcomers, drudging up existing tensions in the Democratic Party over age and seniority.

From Salon

For most people, each day has become a drudging cycle of searching for bread and water and waiting in lines.

From Seattle Times

It is drudging up generations of visceral trauma, especially in Pittsburgh – the city scarred by the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.

From Seattle Times

Ultimately, this revolution may just reduce drudge work and the number of billable hours spent on relatively simple tasks, freeing people to focus more on lawyering.

From New York Times

“It takes away the drudge work,” he said.

From New York Times