tugged; tugging
1
: to pull or strain hard at
3
: to tow with a tugboat
tugger
noun
tugrik, tugriks
Synonyms
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
Catie Edmondson, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024
For Jorge Gonzalez, a college course on the ethno-history of Oaxaca first gave him answers to questions that had been tugging at him for a long time.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tug 
Verb
All of it tugged at Mr. Johnson’s sense of Christian faith.
—Catie Edmondson, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024
For Jorge Gonzalez, a college course on the ethno-history of Oaxaca first gave him answers to questions that had been tugging at him for a long time.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tug
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tug.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tug
Cite this Entry
“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tug. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
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