1 C1 idiomatic informal
To work very hard and persistently at something over a long period
"He slugged away at the project for weeks before it finally came together."
slug away
C1 informal intransitive
To work hard and persistently at something, often with great effort and determination
In plain English
To keep working very hard at something difficult for a long time
What does "slug away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
(Boxing) To keep throwing heavy punches over a sustained period
"Both fighters slugged away at each other through all twelve rounds."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To keep throwing heavy punches — a boxing metaphor
Actually means
To keep working very hard at something difficult for a long time
Usage tip
Less common than 'slog away'. Has connotations of physical or laborious effort. Also, 'slug away' can refer to persistently throwing punches in a boxing context.
Words that pair with "slug away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
at it for hours all day relentlessly problem task
How to conjugate "slug away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
slug away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
slugs away
he/she/it
Past simple
sluged away
yesterday
Past participle
sluged away
have + pp
-ing form
sluging away
continuous
Hear "slug away" in the wild
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