: a strongly built powerful boat used for towing and pushing
called also towboat
Examples of tugboat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 17-foot Hobie Getaway, part of a sailing camp at the Miami Yacht Club on Watson Island, capsized after the 60-foot barge, being pushed by a tugboat and transporting a large crane, hit the sailboat in Biscayne Bay between Hibiscus and Monument islands in Miami Beach.
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Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 30 July 2025
The author came across this company in 2019 while learning about the pioneering hydrogen tugboat plans during a visit to the Port of Antwerp.
—David Blekhman, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
The pilot then directed the tugboat to reposition itself on the front right side of the ship.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 July 2025
Last month, the Wisconsin Historical Society announced the discovery of a 19th-century tugboat in Lake Michigan.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tugboat
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Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 30 July 2025
The author came across this company in 2019 while learning about the pioneering hydrogen tugboat plans during a visit to the Port of Antwerp.
—David Blekhman, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
The pilot then directed the tugboat to reposition itself on the front right side of the ship.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 July 2025
Last month, the Wisconsin Historical Society announced the discovery of a 19th-century tugboat in Lake Michigan.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tugboat
Cite this Entry
“Tugboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tugboat. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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tugboat
noun
tug·boat
ˈtəg-ˌbōt 
: a strongly built powerful boat used for towing and pushing ships
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