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 wreck of a steam tugboat dating from the early 1900s is the latest relic to emerge from shrinking waters in Serbia as Europe's rivers run dry, with the continent engulfed in prolonged, extreme heat and drought. — CBS News, 20 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

In addition, Russian forces struck two tugboats in the Black Sea that were escorting cargo ships carrying Western weapons for Ukraine, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said. — Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Two more ships, Norwegian tugboats named Normand Ranger and Skimmer Tide have now joined that effort. — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 3 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