plugged away
Stuck with it
Plugged away is the past tense of plug away, meaning to work steadily and persistently at something, often without dramatic progress: She plugged away at her dissertation for three years.
The phrase suggests dogged effort rather than inspired bursts—grinding through rather than breezing through.
- exertionVigorous physical effort
- persistenceContinuing despite difficulty
- doggednessUnyielding determination to continue
- patienceCalm during delays
- laborStrenuous effort; also childbirth
never gave up · determination · tenacity · productivity · industriousness · staying power · long haul · diligence · grit · nose to the grindstone · striving · application · toil · slog · grind · burning the midnight oil · focus · hard work
plugged awaygave up
Abandoned an attempt
quit · abandoned · threw in the towel · surrendered · called it quits
plugged awayslacked off
Reduced one's effort
goofed off · loafed · lazed about · idled · coasted
plug, plugged, plugging, plugs, unplug, unplugged, unplugging, away