tugboat

noun

Definition of tugboatnext
as in towboat

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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 tugboat Arc Marine's electric tugboats are heading for the Port of Long Beach, California. — Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026 Staying true to the myth Her team collaborated with a Staten Island ship and tugboat company to pull off the very complicated logistics, starting with figuring out how to anchor the cargo ship in such a way that the boat wasn’t completely fixed. — ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026 This park is located on the rolling hills of northern Contra Costa County, offering impressive views of giant ships and tugboats in the Carquinez Strait, part of the tidal estuary of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin rivers. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 4 May 2026 The sun has barely risen when the mission's navy tugboat arrives on site, carrying an underwater robot and two large containers acting as makeshift offices for marine archaeologists. — CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tugboat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tugboat
  1. towboat
  2. barge
  3. tug
  4. ferryboat
  5. ferry
  6. keel
  7. keelboat
  8. lifeboat
Noun
  • Eisenberger is a former deputy aide for Collins who most recently worked for American Waterways Operators, the national trade association for the barge, towboat and tugboat industry.
    — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 9 July 2026
  • When drought tightens the channel, water managers, dredge crews, and lock operators must communicate with towboat companies and shippers nearly every moment.
    — Alfredo Sosa, Christian Science Monitor, 24 June 2026
Definition of towboat
Noun
  • According to court records, Lopez Insua was piloting a 25-foot (8-meter) tugboat pushing a construction barge across Biscayne Bay on July 28, 2025.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • According to prosecutors, Insua was operating a tugboat pushing a barge loaded with construction debris, while a deckhouse and crane obstructed his view ahead.
    — Bethany Brown, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
Definition of barge
Noun
  • The counselor at the helm of the Hobie stood up and tried to alert the tug crew before impact, prosecutors say.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
  • Trajectories are shaped by the force of a micrometeoroid's expulsion from the comet's nucleus, along with the gentle push of radiation from the sun and the gravitational tug of the planets.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of tug
Noun
  • But nearly a decade since the first city-run ferryboat set sail, the system has been working to win over skeptics.
    — Julia Press, Bloomberg, 22 May 2026
  • Crofton will be the only living person with a Disney ferryboat named after her.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Definition of ferryboat
Noun
  • Stroll around the wharf and its eclectic businesses, or get out on the water with whale watching expeditions, sailing cruises, fishing and lobstering tours, and day trips and ferry rides to explore Casco Bay and its stunning islands.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2026
  • The district is less than two hours from the capital of San José through paved highways or a ferry, with small plane options available.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 24 July 2026
Definition of ferry
Noun
  • For example, without a keel or rudder, the canoes are steered by just hand blades fighting all that force.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 22 July 2026
  • These include a folding keel and collapsible sensor mast, which deploy once the vehicle reaches the surface.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
Definition of keel
Noun
  • This sailing school follows both Sail Canada's and keelboat certification programs as well.
    — Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
  • However, apart from his time competing on high-speed M32 catamarans, Canfield’s experience and success have come through racing traditional keelboats.
    — Andrew Rice, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of keelboat
Noun
  • The crew aboard the vessel that was reportedly struck in the Strait of Hormuz Monday has abandoned the ship and are currently in a lifeboat, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center said in an update early Tuesday local time.
    — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • According to a 60-page investigative dossier obtained by The Guardian, Dayana and Williams tried to board a lifeboat on the port side of Deck 4 but were unable to find space.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Definition of lifeboat

Browse Nearby Words

tug
tugboat
tugboats
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Cite this Entry

“Tugboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugboat. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tugboat

Nglish: Translation of tugboat for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tugboat

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