tug
verb (used with object)
to pull at with force, vigor, or effort.
were tugging
-
past progressiveof tug.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She just kept going, and her kids were tugging at her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
It was like being set upon by a pack of wolves, their fingers were tugging and scratching at my pant legs and arms as I tried to spread the cookies evenly between the children.
From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2022
During her 2010 reign as Miss California, she gained a better understanding of the competing interests that were tugging at Phelps.
From New York Times ● Aug. 7, 2016
Two flacks were tugging at his arm to go do a TV interview, but he was on a roll.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 1, 2016
He saw it quiver and then jerk a little, as though an invisible fish were tugging at a line.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
