tug 1 of 2

noun

Definition of tugnext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tug

2 of 2

verb

ˈtəg How to pronounce tug (audio)
1
as in to pull
to cause to follow by applying steady force on tugged on the door until it opened

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 tug
Noun
If your toddler stubbornly digs their heels in, don’t allow yourself to be drawn into a potty training tug of war. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026 Uniforms that sprouts porcupine quills at the tug of a collar? — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
In a statement after the trial, Delaney acknowledged tugging on the student's sleeve. — William Morris, Des Moines Register, 14 Aug. 2026 The film cannily tugs on the heartstrings, pulls off classic slapstick comedy and sneaks obscure film references into its visuals. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug
  1. pull
  2. haul
  3. struggle
  4. yank
  5. drag
  6. labor
  7. jerk
  8. strive
Noun
  • These tokens fell sharply in the days after their debuts and quickly drew accusations of being rug pulls, a crypto term for projects in which insiders abruptly sell large holdings, leaving other investors with steep losses.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Tickets include beer, wine, and heavy appetizers, plus access to a silent auction and mystery wine pull.
    — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of pull
Verb
  • Nevertheless, 2022’s Scream, revs the engine of the Scream 4, then hauls it in overdrive when more murderous mayhem storms through Woodsboro.
    — Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Video shared by Nepal's authorities showed the moment a man was hauled from a tunnel.
    — Victoria Craw, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of haul
Verb
  • Underwood, then a true freshman, struggled in that meeting, and his inconsistent play against Western Michigan (12-of-22 passing) has led to questions about his job status.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Despite being one of Africa’s largest oil producers, the Dangote Refinery initially struggled to secure enough domestic crude and had to turn to international suppliers at a premium.
    — Nana Menya Ayensu, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • Smudge, yank, squash and draw on photos to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces meant to be shared.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The yanks are coming, the yanks are coming!
    — Kirk Bowman, The Conversation, 9 June 2026
Definition of yank
Verb
  • Planning a trip between friends is like a game of chess, between coordinating schedules, budgets and other logistics that can drag on, no matter how fun the trip sounds.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Any attempt to walk him ended with me dragged across the asphalt behind his drumstick legs.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • Admittedly the continent has labored as the AI hyper-scalers of America and China have produced products (and valuations) that make the eyes pop.
    — Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Thoroughly unimpressed by her suburban idyll, and evidently unmoved by her responsibilities as wife and mother, Denise labors in her basement on a novel whose protagonist wishes to forsake her family for a life in New York.
    — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of labor
Noun
  • According to children’s program manager Fedeline Julien, who has worked for Beaches since 1999, the area where Treasure Beach stands used to be dedicated to beach parties, team member residences, and the jerk truck.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • In late August, Mayor Mamdani hosted a celebration of Caribbean culture at Gracie Mansion with plenty of patties and jerk chicken to go around.
    — Reshma B, VIBE.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Similarly, advertisers strive to prevent their ads from appearing next to low-quality content.
    — Roman Vrublivskyi, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Till is a member of the Firekeeper Alliance, which has close ties with the festival, and strives to decrease the suicide rate among indigenous youths through teaching them about heavy metal.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of strive

Browse Nearby Words

tufts
tug
tugboat
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Cite this Entry

“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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