lugging

Definition of luggingnext
present participle of lug
1
as in hauling
to cause to follow by applying steady force on lugged the lawn mower out into the backyard

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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

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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 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 Plus, lugging an oversized suitcase through the train terminals in Europe (where there’s not an elevator in sight) is a nightmare on a multitude of levels. Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2026 And that idea of having a vacation boyfriend and lugging him back to the real world actually happened to Joel. Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026 How to create opportunities for himself, say, or how much to carry the puck without Marner there lugging it around — little things like that. Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026 The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport is not, however, a trail-lugging beast. New Atlas, 12 Dec. 2025 Though the Yule log had once sprouted from a place of whimsical evolution (not many of us are reliably lugging colossal hunks of wood home), its flavors and construction have yet to experience the breadth of remix its flat-sheet and round-tiered kin have undergone. Ingu Chen, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lugging
Verb
  • Singh was stopped for inspection at a weigh station while hauling a load of frozen chicken along Interstate 80.
    Simon Hankinson, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Clear Creek County Investigators said both the driver and passenger got out of the truck, which was hauling two trailers, and were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
    Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • At the height of the sectarian war, parts of Baghdad were so riddled with impromptu militia checkpoints that many Iraqis started carrying two official-looking IDs — one genuine and the other a forgery with a last name and birthplace associated with the other sect.
    Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Zero tankers transited the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday, a narrow channel just off Iran’s southern coast that’s normally packed with an armada of 60 or more ships carrying 20% of the world’s oil.
    Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Those worries have spilled into financial markets, pulling share prices sharply lower.
    Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Someone’s always pulling the knife out or holding the knife.
    Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The quarantine restricts the movement of citrus plants, plant parts and fruit inside and out of the quarantine boundaries, with the only exceptions for agricultural businesses that must follow strict requirements for treatment, cleaning and packing before transporting fruit.
    Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Iraqi authorities are considering several options for exports, including a pipeline that runs through Iraq's northern Kurdistan region to the port of Ceyhan in Turkey, and the possibility of transporting oil by land.
    CBS News, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • His legs felt like anchors dragging across the court.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The war dragging on could also see markets whip back and oil costs continue to soar, especially as the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly 20% of the world's oil remains largely impassible.
    Garrett Downs, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Cargo ships are a key cog in the global economy, ferrying everything from oil and raw materials to toys and electronics around the world.
    Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 2 Mar. 2026
  • On April 26, 2023, a Saudi Arabian naval ship pulled into the Port of Jeddah, ferrying people escaping the war in Khartoum—a 10 hour journey across the Red Sea.
    Yousra Elbagir, Time, 25 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lugging. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

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