glug
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
noun
Etymology
Origin of glug
First recorded in 1890–95; imitative
Explanation
When something glugs it makes the sloshing, gurgling sound of liquid being poured out of a bottle. You might glug some milk onto that sugary cereal and call it breakfast! There's a distinctive sound you make when you thirstily gulp water from a bottle or pour a healthy amount of olive oil into a pan: glug, glug, glug. This imitative, informal word comes from the Old English glub, "to swallow greedily." You can use it as a noun or a verb, so you might ask for a glug of syrup on your pancakes or glug an energy drink after a run on a hot day.
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.
See Examples For:
A glug of olive oil and another of maple syrup lend a subtle savory-sweet factor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
Toss the pasta until evenly coated in sauce, adding a few tablespoons of pasta water to the mixture to loosen, and a glug of olive oil for sheen.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2023
Over time, chefs have tinkered with tradition, taking hachis from humble to haute, applying rigorous technique and using luxurious ingredients such as veal demi-glace, rib-eye and a glug of good Burgundy wine.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 28, 2023
Beal walked calmly to the bench and downed a glug of water, thinking, surely, the game was in hand.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 16, 2022
There was the faint glug of wine being poured, a tinkle of decanter on glass rim, a murmur of thanks, and then Sir Charles seated himself on the sofa, inches away from Will.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
Daniel Bachmann Andersen, a 34-year-old competitor from Denmark, estimated that he glugged about 10 litres ahead of his appearance in the equestrian dressage contest on Tuesday.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2024
They went on their merry way, glugged down in vast quantities outside the cocktail-snob bubble.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 23, 2023
That’s the result of a serum concocted by Walter, that when glugged, turns a person into a … see above.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 23, 2019
The outcome of the bonus season will help determine how many boats are sold at this week's London boat show, luxury homes bought and fine wines glugged.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 13, 2013
Then, perhaps realizing he had nothing to lose, he snatched the cup and glugged it down.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Despite attempting to play down the issue, Alcaraz glugging pickle juice - an acidic liquid found to stop cramping 40% faster than drinking water - was a sure sign that it was an issue.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
“So now you have the lovely glugging of the syrup on the soundtrack. That’s it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025
Then, in response to a recording, the elusive American Bittern makes its extraordinary display call—a series of bellowing gulps, as though it's glugging a gallon of water—eliciting a hushed YES! from the birders.
From Scientific American ● Sep. 15, 2021
Why you can’t shake it: There are a million excuses we all come up with for not glugging enough.
From Time ● Jan. 4, 2017
The toilet stopped glugging and Byron said, “Not bad, but let’s have a little more screaming on the way down and how about having the Flamethrower of Death turned up a little bit?”
From "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" by Christopher Paul Curtis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
