tug

American  

[tuhg] / tʌg /

verb (used with object)

tugged, tugging

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)

tugged, tugging

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

• tugger noun
• tugless adjective
• untugged adjective

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

You can tug a player's shirt but no red!

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

He had already caught several, and a tug of resistance on the line hinted he would get another.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

“Basically, it’s a tug of war,” said Mike Treacy, head of market risk at Apex Fintech Solutions.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

And, along the way, influence a geopolitical tug of war involving a huge U.S.-U.K. military base.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

He focused on the golden light, awaiting the familiar tug.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman