tug

1 of 3

verb

ˈtəg 

tugged; tugging

intransitive verb

1

: to pull hard

2

: to struggle in opposition : contend

3

: to exert oneself laboriously : labor

transitive verb

1

: to pull or strain hard at

2

a

: to move by pulling hard : haul

b

: to carry with difficulty : lug

3

: to tow with a tugboat

tugger noun

tug

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: an act or instance of tugging : pull

b

: a strong pulling force

2

a

: a straining effort

b

: a struggle between two people or opposite forces

3

: tugboat

4

a

: trace entry 3 sense 1

b

: a short leather strap or loop

c

: a rope or chain used for pulling

Tug

3 of 3

abbreviation

tugrik, tugriks

Synonyms

Verb

• pull
• haul
• drag

Noun

• pull
• yank
• jerk
• wrench

Examples of tug in a Sentence

Verb

I felt someone tugging on my sleeve.

She tugged the cord until the plug came out of the wall socket.

Noun

He felt a gentle tug on his sleeve.

gave the man in front a tug on his shirtsleeve as a sign that he was supposed to step aside

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Adam Cole, the previous TNT Champion, tugged at the audience’s heartstrings, announcing his indefinite leave of absence due to health issues. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2025

Refocusing Sustainability In my experience, staying grounded is important in a time when business leaders are being tugged between the hard financial realities of environmental fallout and the increasing number of legislative proposals that could restrict the use of ESG criteria in investments. —Morten Johansen, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025

Noun

The 18-year-old, who goes by the nickname Eliza rather than Elizabeth, opened up about the emotional tug of war between honoring her own identity and meeting her family’s expectations in a recent Reddit post. —Ashley Vega, People.com, 6 July 2025

Aim to finish with a clear success - whether that's catching the toy or winning a tug game. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English tuggen; akin to Old English togian to pull — more at tow

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Phrases Containing tug

• tug-of-love
• tug-of-war
• tug/pull at one's heartstrings
• tug/touch one's forelock

Rhymes for tug

• chug
• doug
• drug
• dug
• hug
• jug
• lug
• mug
• plug
• pug
• rug
• rugg

Kids Definition

tug

1 of 2 verb

ˈtəg 

tugged; tugging

1

a

: to pull hard

b

: to move by pulling hard : drag

2

: to tow with a tugboat

tugger noun

tug

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: an act or instance of tugging : pull

b

: a strong pulling force

2

: a struggle between two people or forces

3

: tugboat

Medical Definition

tug

see tracheal tug