1 B1 idiomatic neutral
To work through a large amount of something tedious or difficult with sustained effort.
"I've been ploughing through a hundred applications and I'm not even halfway done."
inseparable
plough through
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
To make one's way through something difficult with great effort, or to crash through an obstacle with force.
In plain English
To get through a lot of difficult work or a physical obstacle by pushing hard and not giving up.
What does "plough through" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To force a way through a physical obstacle or substance with power.
"The icebreaker ploughed through the frozen sea at a steady five knots."
inseparable
3 B1 neutral
To crash through something with unstoppable force.
"The vehicle ploughed through the barriers at the entrance."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
A plough forcing its way through dense soil.
Actually means
To get through a lot of difficult work or a physical obstacle by pushing hard and not giving up.
Usage tip
Very common in everyday British English. 'Ploughing through a book/pile of work' is extremely frequent. Also used literally for vehicles or ships forcing through obstacles. 'Plow through' in American English.
Words that pair with "plough through"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
paperwork book crowd snow reports emails
How to conjugate "plough through"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
plough through
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ploughs through
he/she/it
Past simple
ploughed through
yesterday
Past participle
ploughed through
have + pp
-ing form
ploughing through
continuous
Hear "plough through" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "plough through" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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