as in pull
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force
gave the man in front a tug on his shirtsleeve as a sign that he was supposed to step aside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort
she's tugged all her life to get to where she is now in the business world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of tug
Carl Nolte, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 Mar. 2026
Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror classic, which won the Academy Award for visual effects and spawned an enduring franchise, turns the commercial towing vessel Nostromo — essentially a tug-hauling cargo ship — into something claustrophobic and unforgiving.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2026
The pacing slackens a little as the complicated process inches forward, but the ending tugs the heartstrings in enormously satisfying ways.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tug
Noun
The ship is moved in, slowly and carefully; tugs help, and so does the shipyard crew.
—Carl Nolte, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 Mar. 2026
Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror classic, which won the Academy Award for visual effects and spawned an enduring franchise, turns the commercial towing vessel Nostromo — essentially a tug-hauling cargo ship — into something claustrophobic and unforgiving.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
Heartstrings are tugged with relish.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2026
The pacing slackens a little as the complicated process inches forward, but the ending tugs the heartstrings in enormously satisfying ways.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug
Noun
-
The crop’s pull extends to the highest levels of national politics — presidential hopefuls have made a point of visiting Meru to publicly declare their support for the trade, with pledges to open new markets, defend growers, and confront foreign bans.—
Joseph Maina,
semafor.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Events include the keg toss, car deadlift, harness pull, atlas stones, log clean and press and Viking press.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Best Buy will also haul away televisions and larger appliances for a fee when new models are purchased, then work with electronics recyclers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
For now, the fastest road-going 3 Series can still haul a wardrobe at serious speed.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Indonesia was already struggling to meet targets to retire coal plants early, with financing delays even before the Iran war.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Even as Queen City Quarter struggles to attract new businesses, three of its tenants face eviction for unpaid rent at the former Epicentre food and entertainment complex in uptown Charlotte.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Effectively, this turned the workspace into a yank buffer along with all your documents, and undoing any destructive editing operation thus became merely another cut and paste.—
Cameron Kaiser,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Visitors to China will want to lighten their grip, while folks introducing themselves to Germans should know to stop after one firm downward yank.—
Chris Ciolli,
AFAR Media,
15 July 2025
Verb
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That said, its opposition to severe Pluto presses against your dependable 6th house, potentially dragging you away from rest.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The Transportation Security Administration may have to shut down operations at some airports if the budget impasse drags on, the agency’s acting head said yesterday, even as record wait times for travelers did little to end the standoff over the funding fight in Congress.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lamarck surely labored over these Romantic effusions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Texas starter Dylan Volantis labored through a long first inning, but a pop-out to catcher Carson Tinney stranded two runners on base.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Take the brake-by-wire system, which blends the disc brakes’ stopping power with the 849’s regenerative braking to reduce jerk, prevent lockup, and maximize performance.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
21 Mar. 2026
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In the new sequel, Grace teams with her estranged younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), as they’re hunted by four elite families full of murderous jerks scrambling to become the High Seat of a Council that controls the world.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There are the striving, dysfunctional parents, and the politically calculating peers.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Speaking of government secrets, budget some time for the National Atomic Testing Museum, which strives to educate the public about the Nevada Test Site (now called the Nevada National Security Site).—
Mindy Sink,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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