tug

1 of 3

verb

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
4
b
: a short leather strap or loop
c
: a rope or chain used for pulling

Tug

3 of 3

abbreviation

tugrik, tugriks

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
The knife-edge finish — with fewer than 1% of ballots still to be counted — is far from a resounding endorsement of the pro-EU path that Sandu has pursued over four years at the helm of the small ex-Soviet republic tugged between Russia and the West. Reuters, NBC News, 21 Oct. 2024 The September afternoon sun was high, the water was cold, the current tugged fiercely at my hips. John Paul Brammer, SELF, 17 Oct. 2024
Noun
Firefly has three main product lines: its rockets, Alpha and MLV; space tugs, called Elytra, and lunar landers, known as Blue Ghost. Michael Sheetz, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024 Students participated in a relay race to the ballot box, a mock election with sample 2024 ballots, and a tug of war meant to illustrate how the number of people on each side can sway the outcome of a contest. Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tug 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of tug was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tug

Cite this Entry

“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tug. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

tug

1 of 2 verb
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

Medical Definition

tug

More from Merriam-Webster on tug

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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