drudges
Labors without reward
Drudges is the plural of drudge—a person who does hard, tedious, or menial work.
The word suggests someone trapped in unglamorous labor: office drudges filing paperwork, kitchen drudges scrubbing pots.
As a verb, to drudge is to toil at such work: She drudges away at a job she hates.
Workers doing physical tasks
- servantsHired household workers
- menialsLow-ranking domestic workers
- underlingsLower-ranked employees
- hirelingsPaid subordinates, often disparaged
minions · subordinates · peons · lackeys · dogsbodies · skivvies · galley slaves · workhorses
Strenuous effort; also childbirth
- slogLaborious persistent effort
- grindCrush into particles
- plodMove slowly, heavily
- trudgeWalk slowly, heavily
slave · moil · struggle · exertion · effort · dirty work · donkey work · grunt work
Not noticed or considered
- undervaluedRated below true worth
- thanklessNot rewarded with appreciation
- unrecognizedNot identified or acknowledged
- unrewardedReceiving nothing earned
unacknowledged · unsung · taken for granted · invisible · uncelebrated · unpraised · uncredited · disregarded
Weariness from prolonged exertion
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- tirednessState of needing rest
- worn downDiminished through use
bone-tired · drained · depleted · spent · weary · haggard · run-down · overworked
Regular sequence of actions
- monotonousUnchangingly dull
- tediousBoring through length
- humdrumLacking variety or excitement
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
unvaried · plodding · dreary · mind-numbing · soul-crushing · same old · treadmill · hamster wheel
laborers
Workers doing physical tasks
- servantsHired household workers
- menialsLow-ranking domestic workers
- underlingsLower-ranked employees
hirelings · minions · subordinates · peons · lackeys · dogsbodies · skivvies · galley slaves · workhorses · coolies
labor
Strenuous effort; also childbirth
trudge · slave · moil · struggle · exertion · effort · dirty work · donkey work · grunt work · heavy lifting
overlooked
Not noticed or considered
- undervaluedRated below true worth
- thanklessNot rewarded with appreciation
- unrecognizedNot identified or acknowledged
unrewarded · unacknowledged · unsung · taken for granted · invisible · uncelebrated · unpraised · uncredited · disregarded · exploited
fatigue
Weariness from prolonged exertion
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- tirednessState of needing rest
worn down · bone-tired · drained · depleted · spent · weary · haggard · run-down · overworked · world-weary
routine
Regular sequence of actions
- monotonousUnchangingly dull
- tediousBoring through length
- humdrumLacking variety or excitement
repetitive · unvaried · plodding · dreary · mind-numbing · soul-crushing · same old · treadmill · hamster wheel · daily grind
drudgesbosses
Managers or raised studs
masters · overlords · supervisors · executives · commanders