tug

[ tuhg ]

/ tʌg /

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See synonyms for: tug / tugged / tugging on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), tugged, tug·ging.

to pull at with force, vigor, or effort.

to move by pulling forcibly; drag; haul.

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

verb (used without object), tugged, tug·ging.

to pull with force or effort: to tug at a stuck drawer.

to strive hard; labor; toil.

noun

an act or instance of tugging; pull; haul.

a strenuous contest between opposing forces, groups, or persons; struggle: the tug of young minds in a seminar.

tugboat.

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

(on a harness)

trace² (def. 1).
any of various supporting or pulling parts.

OTHER WORDS FOR tug

1 yank, jerk, wrench.

See synonyms for tug on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of tug

1175–1225; Middle English toggen to play-wrestle, contend; akin to Old English togian to tow¹

OTHER WORDS FROM tug

tugger, nountugless, adjectiveun·tugged, adjective

Words nearby tug

tufted duck, tufted titmouse, tufting, tufty, Tu Fu, tug, tugboat, Tugela, tug-of-love, tug of war, tugrik

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tug in a sentence

The backward tug of this material’s gravity then causes the cluster to plunge closer and closer to the galactic center.
The Milky Way’s most massive star cluster may have eaten a smaller cluster|Ken Croswell|September 29, 2020|Science News
For designers, though, possibly the most intriguing aspect of the Tik Tok tug-of-war is the report, first floated in the New York Times, that the leading candidate for CEO of the restructured entity is Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom.
How would Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom redesign TikTok as CEO?|claychandler|September 22, 2020|Fortune
Foundational theories of morality have been locked in a perennial tug of war.
The Universe Knows Right from Wrong - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Philip Goff|September 9, 2020|Nautilus
Foundational theories of morality have been locked in a perennial tug of war between the supernaturalism of Plato and the naturalism of his opponents.
The Universe Knows Right from Wrong - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Philip Goff|September 9, 2020|Nautilus

Each star tends to keep the disk aligned with itself, and the tug-of-war warped and sheared the disk, and twisted the inner ring even further.
A weirdly warped planet-forming disk circles a distant trio of stars|Lisa Grossman|September 3, 2020|Science News
These men and women will no doubt cause a tug a war in time.
Up To Speed: The Cuba Embargo|Nina Strochlic|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The White House has been mediating the tug of war between the CIA and the committee over the redaction process.
You're About to See What Obama Calls 'Torture'|Josh Rogin, Eli Lake|August 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But since then it has been subject to a tug of war with the CIA.
Ex-CIA Top Lawyer: Release the ‘Black Site’ Report|Eli Lake|March 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After this Euro-Russian tug of war, the sparks ignited in Kiev and Moscow.
Cut the Baloney on Ukraine|Leslie H. Gelb|March 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Throughout the day, you would overhear chit-chat about the ongoing tug-of-war between libertarians and social conservatives.
CPAC: Come for the Crazy, Stay for the Party|Michelle Cottle|March 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was given no reply save a muttered curse, a command to hold his tongue, and an angry tug at his tied arms.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
In fact, the true tug only begins when we try to carry the second line and the flanking machine guns.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
On this occasion, however, the tug appeared somewhat late on the scene, and hailed the Gull.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne
The drama, as far as the Gull-Light was concerned, ended that night with the disappearance of the tug and lifeboat.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne
Tug service for sailing ships or vessels without motive power is at the rate of $15 per hour.
The Wonder Book of Knowledge|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tug

tug

/ (tʌɡ) /

verb tugs, tugging or tugged

(when intr, sometimes foll by at) to pull or drag with sharp or powerful movementsthe boy tugged at the door handle

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

(intr) to work; toil

noun

a strong pull or jerkhe gave the rope a tug

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

a hard struggle or fight

a less common word for trace 2 (def. 1)

Derived forms of tug

tugger, noun

Word Origin for tug

C13: related to Old English tēon to tow 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012