Plod: meaning, definitions and examples

Use in situations where you want to describe slow, heavy, and often monotonous or laborious progress. It has a slightly negative or neutral connotation, often associated with hard work without immediate reward.

• The workers plodded through the muddy fields, their feet sinking into the soft ground.
• Despite the difficulties, she continued to plod through her studies day after day.

Best used when referring to the edible product of a tree or plant, or as a metaphor for the results of one's efforts. It has a positive or neutral connotation depending on the context.

• The apple tree in the garden bears plenty of fruit every autumn.
• Her years of hard work finally bore fruit when she received a promotion.

Use to describe fresh fruits and vegetables generally sold at markets, or as a verb meaning to create or manufacture something. As a noun, it is neutral; as a verb, it can hold either positive or negative connotations based on context.

• The supermarket has a fresh produce section stocked with fruits and vegetables.
• Her factory produces high-quality garments that are exported worldwide.

Ideal for discussing the act of gathering crops when they are ripe, or figuratively when collecting the results or benefits of a particular action. It has a generally positive connotation, often associated with abundance and reward.

• The farmers gathered for the annual harvest festival to celebrate their bounty.
• After months of negotiation, the team was able to harvest the benefits of their hard work in securing the contract.