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
Sarah Hutter, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
With the script and director seemingly playing a game of tug of war, individual scenes shine without producing a larger, satisfying narrative arc.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 10 Oct. 2025
Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Her reporting turns the accident into an albatross around their necks, tearing at their reputations and tugging at all the other skeletons in their closets.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug
Noun
In the heart of the Amazon Basin, where the borders and cultures of Peru, Colombia and Brazil converge, a tiny, shape-shifting island has become the unlikely setting for a diplomatic tug of war.
—Sarah Hutter, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
With the script and director seemingly playing a game of tug of war, individual scenes shine without producing a larger, satisfying narrative arc.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
An invitation from Wolfpack quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper to sit in on film sessions and game-planning meetings tugged McCall out of a potentially debilitating spiral.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Her reporting turns the accident into an albatross around their necks, tearing at their reputations and tugging at all the other skeletons in their closets.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug
Noun
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But men’s college basketball is now officially back, and Monday launches us into a 2025-26 season with undeniable pull.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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No, think about it—impossibly creamy mashed potatoes, herbaceous stuffing, pull-apart bread rolls, green bean casserole, gooey mac and cheese—all veg!—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The vehicle was hauling 21 monkeys that day, and eight of them escaped.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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Having junk hauled away costs money.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And problems continue despite the flight cancellations designed to relieve stress on controllers struggling to deal with the shutdown.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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Entry-level workers experiment freely and the C-suite sees strategic value, yet middle managers often struggle to bridge the gap.—
Feon Ang,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
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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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But as the stalemate has dragged on, some Democrats have been looking for a way out.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
6 Nov. 2025
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Big bitcoin holders appear to be selling their tokens, threatening to drag the cryptocurrency deeper into the red, according to Citigroup.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That means that while some other federal workers have labored without pay for a month, CJA panel attorneys such as Foster and Binninger have worked without pay since before July 3, when the CJA funding officially expired.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Nov. 2025
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The Dodgers then knocked off the Giants in the NL Division Series, though Scherzer lost his Game 3 start – allowing three hits and a run on Evan Longoria’s game-deciding homer while laboring seven innings and 110 pitches.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Dig into Caribbean jerk chicken pizza at Blackstone Pub downtown or savor a few slices topped with spicy meatballs and peppadews served with a waterfront view at Little Bridge Marina’s Pizza Kitchen.—
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
4 Nov. 2025
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Gave the two jerks her very best.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Let’s strive for greater together.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
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The development comes as Netflix strives to become more competitive with its peers in the battle to win ad dollars from Madison Avenue.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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