1
as in pulled
to cause to follow by applying steady force on
tugged on the door until it opened
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in struggled
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
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Recent Examples of tugged
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
If a toy was tugged, it was considered a Pull type, and if it was retrieved when thrown, it was considered a Fetch type.
—New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2025
This one may have tugged at your deepest insecurities around intimacy, trust, and vulnerability, pushing you to face the places where pride has sometimes acted as a shield.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 7 Sep. 2025
But almost as soon as that hopefulness returned, it was tugged away when ownership decided to slash payroll.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2025
There was a sentimental clip that tugged on the audience’s heartstrings showing Cantrall as a very young Disney performer.
—Scott King, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
In 1984, a memory tugged at him.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Timothy and Maud held tight to his jacket and tugged.
—Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
If a toy was tugged, it was considered a Pull type, and if it was retrieved when thrown, it was considered a Fetch type.
—New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2025
This one may have tugged at your deepest insecurities around intimacy, trust, and vulnerability, pushing you to face the places where pride has sometimes acted as a shield.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 7 Sep. 2025
But almost as soon as that hopefulness returned, it was tugged away when ownership decided to slash payroll.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2025
There was a sentimental clip that tugged on the audience’s heartstrings showing Cantrall as a very young Disney performer.
—Scott King, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
In 1984, a memory tugged at him.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Timothy and Maud held tight to his jacket and tugged.
—Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tugged
Verb
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For years, fashion companies like Ralph Lauren pulled their products from Macy’s stores to sell more of their products direct to consumers online and at their own stores.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Curran then grabbed Trantalis’ leg and pulled him to the ground, then reportedly dragged him 15 feet across the road.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Footage of the crash showed a towering wave of smoke and flames billowing skyward near the airport after the low-flying plane struggled to climb and then erupted into an enormous fireball on impact.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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Memphis struggled out of the gate on Friday night against a motivated Tulane Green Wave team that suffered an upset loss to UTSA in Week 10.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Having junk hauled away costs money.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Faux brass candlesticks, plastic nutcrackers, and off-brand plaid blankets are hauled out as budget stand-ins for the designer’s signature style.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Sadly, set-ups around this intense huis clos are often labored, with storylines that fizzle out and characters who become suddenly pivotal and then recede into the background.—
NPR,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
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For more than 100 years, enslaved people lived and labored in the colonies, but after the Revolutionary War, northern states eventually abolished most forms of enslavement by the early 1800s, led by Vermont in 1777.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Though some institutions have welcomed workers’ unions, others have dragged their feet.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Knocked unconscious, Will is then dragged by the Demogorgon to the lair of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While leading the community services district, Loewen also worked as a business development consultant and senior manager for DTA, according to a confidential investigative report issued in 2023 after residents complained about Loewen’s conduct.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
12 Nov. 2025
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Goldman worked with the NFL on the sale process for the league’s media assets, which were sold to ESPN, and helps owners facilitate franchise transactions, such as the Baltimore Orioles’ sale in 2024.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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During his short time in office, Garfield endeavored to clean up the government.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Padilla endeavored to make his mark early.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugged. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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