1
as in hauling
to cause to follow by applying steady force on
lugged the lawn mower out into the backyard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in carrying
to support and take from one place to another
I don't understand why he's always lugging all of his books around when his locker is right over there
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lugging
Pitching a tent above ground is fun, but lugging a big, 45-lb (20-kg) duffel bag of heavy canvas and ratchet straps through the forest is not.
—
New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
They were still allowed to walk around the campus and distribute water and snacks, but that meant lugging around coolers full of ice and wandering in the direct sunlight.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 21 Mar. 2026
The shirt stretched naturally with every movement, even while lugging around 35-pound weights in the pool during underwater training sessions.
—Joe Jackson, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
The delivery comes in several different boxes, which means even the weakest of us can manage lugging this up our apartment stairs, and the assembly is even easier, thanks to the Japanese joinery mentioned above.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 16 Mar. 2026
Contractors may charge premiums for the extra effort of lugging materials in the rainy season.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
But when the bus pulled up to a migrant shelter in the border city of Laredo, dropping off a half-dozen families lugging bags stuffed with belongings, the stress of recent weeks tracked mother and daughter like the long shadows on that mid-February afternoon.
—Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
But when the bus pulled up to a migrant shelter in the border city of Laredo, dropping off a half-dozen families lugging bags stuffed with belongings, the stress of recent weeks tracked mother and daughter like the long shadows on that mid-February afternoon.
—ABC News, 28 Feb. 2026
And with Sacramento lugging into Dallas an NBA-worst 13-47 record and fresh off a 31-point Wednesday loss at Houston, the Mavericks seemingly had a great opportunity to extend their win streak.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
They were still allowed to walk around the campus and distribute water and snacks, but that meant lugging around coolers full of ice and wandering in the direct sunlight.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 21 Mar. 2026
The shirt stretched naturally with every movement, even while lugging around 35-pound weights in the pool during underwater training sessions.
—Joe Jackson, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
The delivery comes in several different boxes, which means even the weakest of us can manage lugging this up our apartment stairs, and the assembly is even easier, thanks to the Japanese joinery mentioned above.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 16 Mar. 2026
Contractors may charge premiums for the extra effort of lugging materials in the rainy season.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
But when the bus pulled up to a migrant shelter in the border city of Laredo, dropping off a half-dozen families lugging bags stuffed with belongings, the stress of recent weeks tracked mother and daughter like the long shadows on that mid-February afternoon.
—Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
But when the bus pulled up to a migrant shelter in the border city of Laredo, dropping off a half-dozen families lugging bags stuffed with belongings, the stress of recent weeks tracked mother and daughter like the long shadows on that mid-February afternoon.
—ABC News, 28 Feb. 2026
And with Sacramento lugging into Dallas an NBA-worst 13-47 record and fresh off a 31-point Wednesday loss at Houston, the Mavericks seemingly had a great opportunity to extend their win streak.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lugging
Verb
-
Truckers also often don’t get paid for months after hauling a load.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The city of Denver is granting ten restaurants up to $3,600 to pay for one year’s worth of compost hauling ahead of a new rule that will require every restaurant in the city to start composting.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Troopers have determined the bus was carrying about 60 seventh and eighth grade students and adult staff members when the engine compartment began to smoke just south of Exit 32.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Heifler was carrying a large bottle of Everclear, a liquor with a high alcohol content level and had other components to make the Molotov cocktails at his home, the complaint said.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Then, as the pandemic waned, in 2023 and early ’24, came two jolts to the system – federal pandemic-era assistance ended, pulling food and food-related funding away from charities, and the number of people seeking food continued to grow.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The trio rebuild the tower and Guerrero goes up again, pulling the line for about four minutes more before the group takes down the tower, wheels the cart away from the window and walks away.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said on X that the plane that crashed Monday was transporting troops to another city in Putumayo.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Carversteak New York City Opening March 2026 Opening in Midtown, Carver Road Hospitality’s Carversteak makes its New York City debut, transporting Vegas steakhouse swagger to West 48th Street as a pre- and post-theater spot.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
With negotiations dragging, hundreds of TSA agents have quit during the partial shutdown and thousands of others have called out of work.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The Lebanese government has been critical of Iran and accuses its Revolutionary Guard of operating in Lebanon alongside Hezbollah, and dragging the country into another war with Israel.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lugging. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
