tug

1 of 3

verb

ˈtəg 

tugged; tugging

intransitive verb

1

: to pull hard

2

: to struggle in opposition : contend

3

: to exert oneself laboriously : labor

transitive verb

1

: to pull or strain hard at

2

a

: to move by pulling hard : haul

b

: to carry with difficulty : lug

3

: to tow with a tugboat

tugger noun

tug

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: an act or instance of tugging : pull

b

: a strong pulling force

2

a

: a straining effort

b

: a struggle between two people or opposite forces

3

: tugboat

4

a

: trace entry 3 sense 1

b

: a short leather strap or loop

c

: a rope or chain used for pulling

Tug

3 of 3

abbreviation

tugrik, tugriks

Synonyms

Verb

• drag
• draw
• hale
• haul
• lug
• pull
• tow

Noun

• draw
• haul
• jerk
• pluck
• pull
• wrench
• yank

Examples of tug in a Sentence

Verb

I felt someone tugging on my sleeve.

She tugged the cord until the plug came out of the wall socket.

Noun

He felt a gentle tug on his sleeve.

gave the man in front a tug on his shirtsleeve as a sign that he was supposed to step aside

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

For their part, the Toronto Raptors will be tugging on our collective heartstrings all season by celebrating their 30th anniversary. —Esfandiar Baraheni, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024

An hour later, as Gamage got ready to wind the class down, one young dancer tugged at her teacher’s sleeve and whispered in her ear, prompting her to laugh out loud. —Prasad Ramamurthy, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2024

Noun

Here’s how to apply press-on’s for a long-lasting result: How to Remove Press-On Nails Resist the urge to peel or pull them off — this tugs off layers of your natural nail, causing damage. —Olivia Cigliano, WWD, 9 Sep. 2024

These programs are now nested within X, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat—apps that are defined not just by endless scrolling but by the downward tug from the top of your screen to refresh and get something new. —Damon Beres, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English tuggen; akin to Old English togian to pull — more at tow

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Phrases Containing tug

• tug-of-love
• tug-of-war
• tug/pull at one's heartstrings
• tug/touch one's forelock

Kids Definition

tug

1 of 2 verb

ˈtəg 

tugged; tugging

1

a

: to pull hard

b

: to move by pulling hard : drag

2

: to tow with a tugboat

tugger noun

tug

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: an act or instance of tugging : pull

b

: a strong pulling force

2

: a struggle between two people or forces

3

: tugboat

Medical Definition

tug

see tracheal tug