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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of tug
Reuters,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Your 8th House of Intimacy and Resources tugs on play as the intuitive Moon squares messenger Mercury in your 5th House of Creativity.
—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2026
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
When all of the useful parts have been claimed from a corpse, industrial scavengers tug the remains to a cement pad, where excavators tear the vessel into bits of metal, Petty explained.
—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tug
Noun
Those vessels are smaller commercial ships, including five smaller oil tankers, coastal ships and tugs, according to analysis of the vessels waiting.
—
Reuters,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Your 8th House of Intimacy and Resources tugs on play as the intuitive Moon squares messenger Mercury in your 5th House of Creativity.
—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2026
Verb
His young daughter tugged at him.
—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
When all of the useful parts have been claimed from a corpse, industrial scavengers tug the remains to a cement pad, where excavators tear the vessel into bits of metal, Petty explained.
—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug
Noun
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Even with the best investors, the gravitational pull is real.
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In 2020, Fort Worth restriped Hemphill Street from Hammond Street to Vickery Boulevard, from five lanes to three, and adding new bike lanes, bus pull-outs, and street parking.
Verb
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Elsewhere, drivers encountered a very different kind of mess when a tractor-trailer hauling 40,000 pounds of extra-firm tofu crashed off a highway into a ravine in Missouri in March, The New York Times reported.
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Down Pennsylvania Avenue, a man in a karate gi, disposable gloves, and dirty white sneakers was hauling a cart by means of a homemade yoke strapped across his shoulders.
Verb
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Amid the mutiny in the House, Johnson canceled unrelated votes, struggling to get enough support to move the legislation.
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The Pirates posted a six-run fifth inning against struggling starter Aaron Nola (3-5).
Noun
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The yanks are coming, the yanks are coming!
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Connie Lansdown, the hysterectomy patient, watches the storm yank a man from a reclining chair and drag him down the hall.
Verb
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But as the days dragged on, headlines about power outages and water shortages took a back seat to a far more gruesome and horrific reality.
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Compounding concerns, California officials say the Department of Transportation is dragging its feet.
Verb
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On the same pitch earlier, South Africa labored past Bangladesh by four wickets and waited for India's fate.
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In the days since posting the news, Mitchell has continued to update her followers about the aftermath and the start of the healing process, including videos of herself laboring.
Noun
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For instance, there are glazed pork belly chunks served on crispy tostones, tuna tataki with a jerk-spice rub, and a bright, citrusy conch salad.
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Learn how to cook lionfish ceviche, jerk chicken, and more with a group of like-minded people from all over the world, concluding with an alfresco feast—a true one-of-a-kind connection between strangers.
Verb
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When technology lowers the cost of doing something, companies always strive to do more.
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For example, business functions strive for growth, while development teams focus on functionality.
Cite this Entry
“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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