tug

American  

[tuhg] / tʌg /

verb (used with object)

tugs, present (3rd person singular) tugged, past participle, past tugging present participle

1. to pull at with force, vigor, or effort.

   Synonyms:

   wrench, jerk, yank

2. to move by pulling forcibly; drag; haul.

3. to tow (a vessel) by means of a tugboat.

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verb (used without object)

tugs, present (3rd person singular) tugged, past participle, past tugging present participle

1. to pull with force or effort.

   to tug at a stuck drawer.

2. to strive hard; labor; toil.

noun

1. an act or instance of tugging; pull; haul.

2. a strenuous contest between opposing forces, groups, or persons; struggle.

   the tug of young minds in a seminar.

3. tugboat.

4. that by which something is tugged, as a rope or chain.

5. (on a harness)

   1. trace.

   2. any of various supporting or pulling parts.

tug British  

/ tʌɡ /

verb

1. to pull or drag with sharp or powerful movements

   the boy tugged at the door handle

2. (tr) to tow (a vessel) by means of a tug

3. (intr) to work; toil

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noun

1. a strong pull or jerk

   he gave the rope a tug

2. Also called: tugboat.   towboat.  a boat with a powerful engine, used for towing barges, ships, etc

3. a hard struggle or fight

4. a less common word for trace 2

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tugger
  noun
• tugless
  adjective
• untugged
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has tugged
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have tugged
  perfect
• is tugging
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am tugging
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been tugging
  perfect progressive
• has been tugging
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are tugging
  progressive
• tugs
  singular 3rd person
• tugging
  participle

Past

• had tugged
  perfect
• was tugging
  progressive singular
• were tugging
  progressive plural
• had been tugging
  perfect progressive
• tugged
  participle
• tugged
  simple

Future

• will tug
  simple
• will have tugged
  perfect
• will be tugging
  progressive
• will have been tugging
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of tug

1175–1225; Middle English toggen to play-wrestle, contend; akin to Old English togian to tow ¹

Explanation

To tug is to forcefully pull or drag something. You might need your sister's help to tug your knee-high boots off at the end of a long day. A child might tug at his parent's arm and a commuter might tug a rolling suitcase behind her as she enters a subway car. Something else that tugs is a tugboat — and tug is a common nickname for these boats that are designed to pull (or push) other vessels. Tug and tow share the same root word meaning "to pull" or "to lead."

Example Sentences

Carolyn Owens, who still fixes herself peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, was safe when the Tug Fork River overflowed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

In 2018, Scarlett Johansson backed out of playing a transgender man in Rub & Tug.

From BBC • Aug. 18, 2023

The six players — David West, Ken Brett, John Oates, Tug McGraw, Darren Daulton and John Vukovich — all dealt with “glioblastoma,” dying before the age of 60.

From Washington Times • Mar. 8, 2023

On Friday night, dozens of lightning flashes were detected in snow bands across the Tug Hill Plateau.

From Washington Post • Nov. 21, 2022

We crossed a creek that fed into the Tug River and started up a barely paved one-lane road called Little Hobart Street.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls