What does slogging mean?
Slogging means working hard over a prolonged period, usually at a task that is difficult, repetitive, or unpleasant. It can also describe moving or making progress laboriously, as in slogging through snow or a long backlog of work. The word often implies steady endurance rather than a sudden burst of energy: the person may not be making rapid progress, but they continue despite difficulty or boredom. In workplace and institutional contexts, “slogging” can be approvingly humorous, describing the persistent effort required to complete an unwieldy assignment or long project. Its meaning in the second sense is closely related to trudging and plodding, although slogging places particular emphasis on the burdensome nature of the effort. As the present participle of slog, it appears naturally in phrases such as “slogging away at a task” and can also modify a noun, as in “a slogging journey.”
verbTo work hard and steadily, especially on a difficult or tedious task. It can also mean to move or make progress laboriously.
- To perform hard, sustained, and often tedious work.
- To move, travel, or make progress with laborious effort.
"She spent the afternoon slogging through the final reports before the deadline."
"The team kept slogging away at the migration despite several technical problems."
"We slogged through ankle-deep mud until the summit finally came into view."
Slogging is the unglamorous art of getting through the grind, one steady and stubborn step at a time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does slogging come from?
The origin of the verb slog is uncertain, so it cannot confidently be assigned to a particular language or connected with a secure family of cognates. The present participle slogging was formed by adding the standard suffix -ing to slog; the verb itself has long been used both for hard, steady work and for laborious movement.
Related word forms
How slogging is actually used
The word usually conveys persistent effort that is unpleasant, monotonous, or demanding, but it may be used humorously to describe a tiresome routine. The second sense emphasizes slow, effortful movement or progress.