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

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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
The current federal and state-level policy push shaping how companies deploy AI systems is also experiencing a tug of war. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 2 July 2026 If all goes well, Katalyst's space tug (it's called Link) will lift the Swift observatory into a higher, safer orbit — one that will add years of life to the aging space telescope's mission. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 19 June 2026
Verb
The border shifted and changed hands here at least four times in the 19th century and a fifth time in the 20th, tugged south by war and treaty, peace talks and purchases. — Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 28 June 2026 Jude, meanwhile, was shifting from tossing cones to tugging at his ears, afflicted with the same malady that had landed several of the toddlers on the room’s version of the injury list. — ABC News, 30 June 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
  • Even with the best investors, the gravitational pull is real.
    — Elia Wallen, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2026
Definition of pull
Verb
  • Watching a mother turtle haul herself ashore under a canopy of stars to lay her eggs is a truly primal and humbling sight.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2026
  • Djokovic became so frustrated that he was given a code violation warning for smashing a racket, before eventually hauling himself over the line.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of haul
Verb
  • Acuff got off to a much better start after struggling to make shots in his summer league debut on Saturday.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
  • While San Francisco’s bullpen is struggling, Rogers is in the midst of another excellent season after signing a three-year, $37 million deal to join the defending American League champions.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • The yanks are coming, the yanks are coming!
    — Kirk Bowman, The Conversation, 9 June 2026
  • Connie Lansdown, the hysterectomy patient, watches the storm yank a man from a reclining chair and drag him down the hall.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
Definition of yank
Verb
  • 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.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Compounding concerns, California officials say the Department of Transportation is dragging its feet.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • But others are still at work, laboring under a new collective bargaining agreement with another labor organization, the International Longshoremen’s Association.
    — Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • The infant had been trapped for almost three days; a team of rescuers from Fairfax, Virginia, had been laboring to reach the boy, who was nine months old, for at least six hours.
    — Armando Ledezma, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
Definition of labor
Noun
  • 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.
    — Chadner Navarro, Travel + Leisure, 29 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 June 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • When technology lowers the cost of doing something, companies always strive to do more.
    — Jeremy Fain, Fortune, 1 July 2026
  • For example, business functions strive for growth, while development teams focus on functionality.
    — Eugenia Mykuliak, Forbes.com, 1 July 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 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of tug for Spanish Speakers

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