as in pull
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force
gave the man in front a tug on his shirtsleeve as a sign that he was supposed to step aside
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort
she's tugged all her life to get to where she is now in the business world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of tug
Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2024
The melting occurred as the moon was moving away from the Earth, the authors say, when the planet’s constant gravitational tugs warped the moon in a way that caused it to super-heat.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 18 Dec. 2024
Ew Staff, EW.com, 11 Dec. 2024
The raw excitement pouring out of Davis-Woodhall after her win and her instant desire to share it with her partner tugged at a whole lotta heartstrings.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tug 
Noun
But to get there, the spacecraft has taken a spiraling route through the inner solar system, using the gravitational tug of Earth (once), Venus (twice), and Mercury (six times) to get itself on the right course at the right speed to end up in orbit around Mercury.
—Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2024
The melting occurred as the moon was moving away from the Earth, the authors say, when the planet’s constant gravitational tugs warped the moon in a way that caused it to super-heat.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
With impressively integrated technology, the musical makes clever use of time and space, tugging at our heartstrings with ease and lulling us along with its dulcet tones.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 11 Dec. 2024
The raw excitement pouring out of Davis-Woodhall after her win and her instant desire to share it with her partner tugged at a whole lotta heartstrings.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug
Noun
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For decades, China’s massive size and growth created a sort of gravitational pull.Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
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Imagine the chaos of trying to replicate the cultural pull of something like @EmilyMariko’s viral salmon bowl tutorial on platforms less conducive to serendipitous discovery.Shira Jeczmien, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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He’s hauled out of bed to go hunting with his hard-ass, militaristic father Grady (Sam Jaeger), whose bellowing about trying to keep his son safe is almost as frightening as the growling beast that appears to be stalking them.David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
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There is also a hope to haul director Tim Miller, who helmed the first Deadpool movie and was reported to have had friction with Reynolds, into the ever-expanding Lively vs Baldoni saga.Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Walgreens, Rite Aid, Bench Commission, Dunia closures Pharmacy chains are struggling, too.David Staats, Idaho Statesman, 11 Jan. 2025
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With leading scorer Walter Clayton Jr. struggling to a season-low 7 points, backup Denzel Aberdeen had a season-high 16 points.Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The resulting specs: 434 ponies and 525 lb-ft of yank.Sean Evans, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2024
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With tugs and yanks and positive feedback, a planetary makeover began that is rampant today.Stephen Pyne, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024
Verb
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Polls show approval ratings for Yoon’s ruling party have been rising as the crisis drags on.Ryan Hogg, Fortune Asia, 10 Jan. 2025
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Bane slides from the wing to the corner, and Morant takes off simultaneously, dragging his man, Fred VanVleet, out of the play and leaving Bane wide open for a corner 3 as Brooks heads to disrupt Wells.Fred Katz, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Sutton’s been laboring on a full remodel of their Kansas City, Kansas, house near The Legends since August.Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2025
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Excited by the ability to build without wrecking the atmosphere (as much), timber’s apostles have labored to normalize it in large-scale construction.Justin Davidson, Curbed, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Symptoms include: Hallucinations or delusions Increased heart rate Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea Dizziness Muscle jerks Sweating or flushing Seizures Effexor is not approved for children but is sometimes used off-label for anxiety and depression disorders.Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 17 Jan. 2025
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Among the new food items on sale during the Seven Seas Food Festival will be Jamaican jerk chicken and pork pincho at the Caribbean Market; garlic toast chicken parmigiana (Italian Market), strawberry pouffe (Irish Market) and veggie samosas (Indian market).Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This parallels the experience in Ukraine, where drone makers have been striving to establish local production, increasingly been making batteries and other components themselves.David Hambling, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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Reporters have long strived to not do so and mostly succeeded.George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near tug
Cite this Entry
“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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