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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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

The games consisted of various team activities, including tug of war, dodgeball, kickball, as well as individual endurance tests and an obstacle course. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026 The perfect dog needed to love balls or tug toys, be neurotic and extremely obsessive. — Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 11 Aug. 2026

Verb

Hicks broke up a Mahomes pass to Noah Gray, but Hicks could have tugged Gray before making the play. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026 If friends tug you into big plans, leave room for edits and ask for feedback tomorrow, since a pause protects your clever mood. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tug

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug

Noun

And the who, what and why of the vengeful spirit is the narrative pull of the play — along with the tense anticipation of more revelations, suspicions and shocks.

— Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
A’mahri loved going outdoors and taking rides in his pull-along wagon.

— Yona Gavino, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of pull

Verb

Three days later, the team brought in Moody, the former Michigan standout who has also struggled at times in his young career.

— Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Restaurants and private grocery stores are struggling to stay open because of higher supply costs and lower consumption.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of struggle

Verb

Humans engaged user interfaces to command software and engage with outputs like dashboards, while APIs labored in the background.

— George C. Lee II, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Thoroughly unimpressed by her suburban idyll, and evidently unmoved by her responsibilities as wife and mother, Denise labors in her basement on a novel whose protagonist wishes to forsake her family for a life in New York.

— Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of labor

Noun

The latter accidentally does happen, which leads to power struggles between the bigoted jerk and our trio of heroines.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Duffy, for his part, came across as a real jerk at times, but surprisingly charming at others, with a half-nerd, half-jock mien—sweepy hair, big glasses, a megawatt smile—that put me in mind of a Wisconsin Sam Seaborn.

— Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of jerk

Browse Nearby Words

tufts

tug

tugboat

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“Tug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of tug

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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