plough through

USAGE SUMMARY

'plough through' is correct and usable in written English.
It is an idiom meaning to persist through something difficult or unpleasant. Example sentence: We had to plough through hundreds of pages of documents to find the information we needed.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Great leaders are people who are willing to take risks, ones who don't really care about public perception and will plough through regardless.

Vice

Zombies galore, and five post-apocalyptic seasons to plough through.

Independent

There was a mountain of books to plough through.

The Guardian - Books

You just have to plough through it really.

The Guardian

Together, China's 1.3 billion citizens plough through more packets than anywhere else.

The Economist

Professional lobbyists willing to plough through the process therefore often have a big advantage.

The Economist

Last year's Man Booker judges had to plough through 156 novels, after all.

Independent

– but I try to plough through all the paper as I don't like to miss anything.

The Guardian

The Senate committee has to plough through a lot of fog.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Hundreds more coal ships will plough through the reef every year".

The Guardian

4.40pm BST The leaders plough through the town of Plancher-Les -Mines.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "plough through" to convey a sense of determined effort in overcoming obstacles or completing a tedious task. The phrase effectively communicates the idea of moving forward despite resistance.

Common error

Avoid using "plough through" in literal contexts where physical ploughing is involved. The phrase is primarily idiomatic and should be reserved for situations involving figurative obstacles or challenges.

Linguistic Context

The idiomatic verb phrase "plough through" functions as a dynamic descriptor, conveying an action of forceful or persistent movement through a challenging situation or task. Ludwig examples showcase its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "plough through" is a versatile idiomatic verb phrase used to describe the act of persevering through a difficult or tedious task. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely applicable. The examples demonstrate its usage in diverse contexts, mainly in News & Media. When using "plough through", remember that it signifies determination and effort in overcoming obstacles. For similar expressions, consider alternatives such as "persevere through" or "push through". Just avoid literal interpretations!

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

persevere through

Emphasizes continued effort despite difficulty, more focused on the effort than the outcome.

push through

Highlights the act of overcoming resistance to achieve a goal.

forge ahead

Suggests proactive and determined progress, often in the face of challenges.

work through

Implies a systematic and methodical approach to resolving an issue.

struggle through

Focuses on the difficulty and effort involved in completing a task.

make headway

Highlights progress being made, often slowly or with effort.

muscle through

Emphasizes using brute force or sheer determination to overcome an obstacle.

hack through

Implies a rough or makeshift approach to overcoming a barrier.

navigate through

Suggests careful maneuvering to avoid obstacles and reach a destination.

break through

Highlights achieving a significant advancement or overcoming a major obstacle.

FAQs

How can I use "plough through" in a sentence?

You can use "plough through" to describe dealing with something tedious or difficult, like "I had to plough through hundreds of emails this morning" or "She managed to plough through the dense textbook before the exam".

What's a less forceful alternative to "plough through"?

If you want to convey effort without the forceful imagery, consider using alternatives like "work through" or "persevere through". These options suggest effort and persistence but with less emphasis on overcoming resistance.

Is "plow through" also correct?

Yes, "plow through" is also correct. "Plow" is the American English spelling of "plough", so both spellings are acceptable depending on your audience and region.

What's the difference between "plough through" and "go through"?

"Go through" is a more general term, implying experience or process, while "plough through" suggests a determined effort to overcome obstacles within that experience. For example, you might "go through" a training program, but you would "plough through" a difficult chapter in a textbook.