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

tugs plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tugs
  plural

Participles

• tugging
  present
• tugged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• tug
  simple
• tugs
  simple
• have tugged
  perfect
• has tugged
  perfect
• am tugging
  progressive
• are tugging
  progressive
• is tugging
  progressive
• have been tugging
  perfect progressive
• has been tugging
  perfect progressive

Past

• tugged
  simple
• had tugged
  perfect
• was tugging
  progressive
• were tugging
  progressive
• had been tugging
  perfect progressive

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

Amid hollows crowded with houses darkened by coal dust, the unincorporated community of Havaco is nestled near a bridge on the Tug Fork River, across railroad tracks where trains still move tons of coal.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2022

Tug said, “If I’s planned it jus’ right, the Tennessee toothpick’ll hit Tug right in that fat butt of hisn!”

From "The Journey of Little Charlie" by Christopher Paul Curtis