tugboat

noun

tug·​boat ˈtəg-ˌbōt 

: 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 Coast Guard report calls for more disaster simulator use for pilots and captains, increasing the capability and availability of tugboats for higher-risk vessels, and improving pier support at older bridges. — Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026

After the tugboat overturned, one crew member, an Indonesian, was rescued by the merchant vessel. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026

Each 10-megawatt reactor on a barge can power the equivalent of about 10,000 homes, can be moved via tugboats, and can be stacked alongside each other for extra power generation. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

Additionally, it was decided that the ship would undergo repairs, which meant that the ship could not be moved except by tugboat. — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tugboat

• afloat
• azote
• banknote
• bareboat
• benzoate
• connote
• cutthroat
• demote
• denote
• devote
• endnote
• footnote

Kids Definition

tugboat

noun

tug·​boat ˈtəg-ˌbōt 

: a strongly built powerful boat used for towing and pushing ships