TUG Synonyms: 111 Similar and Opposite Words

tug 1 of 2

noun

Definition of tug

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tug

2 of 2

verb

ˈtəg

as in to pull

to cause to follow by applying steady force on tugged on the door until it opened

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of tug

Noun

Even heartfelt moments where Jackie’s deepest secrets are revealed, connecting her sordid past to her chaotic future, fail to elicit a true emotional tug. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026 Electric tugs docked alongside an LNG carrier being loaded at the LNG Canada docks in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada, on Monday, July 14, 2025. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026

Verb

But already the thought tugged at me that the scales that had turned were not celestial, but legal, the workings of the same system condemned in the camp as corrupt and broken. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 WashWise recommends holding the spray 8 to 12 inches away, applying a light mist and smoothing or gently tugging the fabric to release wrinkles. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tug

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug

Noun

Eco effort This feels front of mind, from the pull-chain shower to reusable metal water bottles offered at check-in.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
With a manuscript also acting as a central character, the challenge was turning the pull of Verity’s words into something visual.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of pull

Verb

Four of the 14 were arrested in an attempt to haul bundles of cash out of the home of the attorney general and into the back of an ambulance, Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo said.

— Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Every chip and solar panel has to be hauled into orbit, and every answer those chips produce has to come back down.

— Peter Hall, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of haul

Verb

At that time, the company’s Fisher-Price, Barbie and American Girl brands were struggling to connect with changing consumer tastes and Mattel was reeling from the recent bankruptcy of Toys R Us.

— Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
But, like many Universities, Drexel has been struggling financially, in part due to declining enrollment.

— Andrew Stelzer, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of struggle

Verb

Oil prices have stayed above $100 per barrel as the Middle East conflict dragged on with few signs of a diplomatic off-ramp.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
But as the weeks dragged on, and the talks between the companies continued, Ellison and his team felt that they were not being taken seriously, and that WBD was preferencing other bidders.

— Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of drag

Verb

Jaylen Wright labored all week, fighting his way back from a foot injury that sidelined him the previous game.

— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
With the Dodgers’ lead cut to one run, Skubal labored through the rest of the sixth inning, issuing a pair of walks, his first of the game.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of labor

Noun

Bella’s childhood friend Angus (Jake Simmance), a corporate jerk, condescendingly probes Johnny about his career.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
There was significant excitement over the first-look footage revealing perhaps the world’s biggest movie star transforming himself to become a portly, gray-haired jerk in an offbeat feature focusing on climate change.

— Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of jerk

Browse Nearby Words

tufts

tug

tugboat

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Style

“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tug

noun

verb

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