tow 1 of 2

verb

ˈtō How to pronounce tow (audio)
Definition of townext
as in to pull
to cause to follow by applying steady force on towed the car into the shop for repair

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tow

2 of 2

noun

as in tug

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 tow
Verb
His creative solution is to tie the inflatables to the tender and Jet Ski and have Max and Coop tow them to the new anchorage. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026 Ultimately, Comer said the Benfold had to be towed to Subic Bay, in the Philippines, for repairs, arriving on July 28. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
The car drew suspicion at the tow yard after a worker noticed a strong smell of decay and the presence of flies around the car. — Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 28 July 2026 Silverman began this week’s preliminary hearing by showing grisly photos of Hernandez’s decomposing corpse, which was found in September 2025 in a Hollywood tow yard. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tow
  1. pull
  2. tug
  3. haul
  4. drag
  5. wrench
  6. draw
  7. jerk
Verb
  • The Moon enters Sagittarius and your 4th House of Home, Family, and Emotional Roots, pulling your focus toward rest, privacy, space, or household needs.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026
  • With a steam engine, the boat pulled heavy cargo between Budapest and other towns along the Danube.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of pull
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
Definition of tug
Verb
  • What remains of the trade are 25,000 American horses, gathered up by kill buyers and hauled to slaughter plants across our northern and southern borders.
    — Wayne Pacelle, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Over several weeks, crews physically unbolted and hauled out heavy machinery, dragging thousands of tons of steel out the door.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of haul
Noun
  • What’s striking is that these drag classes are happening in the kind of English seaside town that voted strongly for Brexit – and where, in the decade since, the hard-right Reform UK has become a major political force.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The toe-drag was so precise that officials initially ruled the catch incomplete before reversing the call after Reid’s challenge.
    — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of drag
Noun
  • The plea throws a wrench in Mangione’s parallel state prosecution scheduled for trial next month.
    — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But there’s still a possibility that a wrench could be thrown into Maryland’s plans.
    — Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrench
Noun
  • The last time the Dynamo came to town Thomas Müller made his debut for the Whitecaps in a 1-1 draw last season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The area’s relatively cheap, flat land has been a major draw for developers.
    — Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of draw
Noun
  • In Show Must Go On, the comedian embraces his own compassion by pretending to be a jerk.
    — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk

Browse Nearby Words

touts
tow
toward
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Cite this Entry

“Tow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tow. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tow

Nglish: Translation of tow for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tow

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