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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Driving in rush hour, running errands, cooking dinner, entertaining guests, all of these activities become far more tolerable when listening to uninterrupted music that tugs at your inner urges to let loose. Miguel Otárola, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2025 Without their alternate selves to tug at them, these characters would be dull, dull, dull. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
Even so, Wilmore and Williams will face extensive rehabilitation over the next several weeks and months as their bodies re-adapt to the unfamiliar tug of gravity. Hague and Gorbunov, who spent spent 171 days in space, will re-adapt more quickly, perhaps, but both will require physical therapy. William Harwood, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025 The gravitational tug of neighboring galaxies compresses gas within a galaxy, triggering star formation. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 16 Mar. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tug. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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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