tugged

verb

past tense of tug
1
as in pulled
to cause to follow by applying steady force on tugged on the door until it opened

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in struggled
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 tugged The seas have been kind, or at least kinder than expected, to SpaceX's Starship spacecraft, as it's been tugged through the Indian Ocean to friendlier tides. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 18 Aug. 2026 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 The incident appeared to have tugged on something much deeper. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 Either way, the spread of kudzu, Burmese pythons, Joro spiders, mosquitoes, killer bees, and Asiatic false hawk’s-beards, to name just a few, has tugged on some primal taproot in us. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, other storylines were timely and tugged at heartstrings, such as when her character officiated the first gay male wedding on daytime TV in a 2014 episode following Marlena’s emotional coming-out scenes with her grandson. — Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 The border shifted and changed hands here at least four times in the 19th century and a fifth time in the 20th, tugged south by war and treaty, peace talks and purchases. — Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 28 June 2026 In bringing a piece of her mother to the event, Obama tugged at a feeling that many will relate to – wishing a late family member could be with you during life’s milestone moments. — Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 17 June 2026 His young daughter tugged at him. — Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tugged
  1. pulled
  2. struggled
  3. hauled
  4. labored
  5. dragged
  6. worked
  7. endeavored
Verb
  • The Twins pulled even in the second inning on Lee’s RBI single.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • However, entering June, crude prices pulled back significantly, while retail gasoline prices declined at a markedly slower pace.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of pulled
Verb
  • While Big Tech companies have aggressively expanded their AI footprint, the iPhone maker has struggled to find its footing.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In his second year as a head coach, Tyler Marsh once again struggled to cement a clear playing identity.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggled
Verb
  • Yet no one hauled him before Congress to answer for stoking racial tensions, snubbing George Washington, or making America sad on her birthday.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Wildlife photographer captures striking images of recovery Photographer Chris Bray managed to capture overhead photos with a drone of the Starship being hauled to shore that set the internet abuzz.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of hauled
Verb
  • Royals starter Seth Lugo labored through 4 2/3 innings while allowing five runs.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Indiana National Guard soldiers labored in Hobart, Gary and Munster to clear trees and limbs to reopen streets.
    — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of labored
Verb
  • The winter chill that dragged digital assets down during most of the hot summer months is finally beginning to lift, with the price of Bitcoin surging about 20 percent last week, its strongest three-day rally since 2023.
    — Peter Mintzberg, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In 2024, Burke’s squad dragged itself off the mat after an awful (yet at the time, typical) start to the season to go unbeaten in 12 of 13 matches down the stretch and narrowly miss the playoffs.
    — Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of dragged
Verb
  • The Dream Box itself is tribute to her original mentor and uncle, Bill Owens, who has worked tirelessly to preserve the American Chestnut tree.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Advertisement The Wagoner band worked constantly, and Parton learned how to hold her own onstage and in the studio.
    — Shima Oliaee, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of worked
Verb
  • Whatever people think of the film, it was endeavored to be made with purely with the process at its heart.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Italy’s defense ministry transferred ownership to the town of Affi in 2018, and in 2022 the University of Florence endeavored on a study to map the bunker’s expansive reach.
    — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of endeavored

Browse Nearby Words

tugboats
tugged
tugging
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Cite this Entry

“Tugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugged. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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