tugboat

noun

Definition of tugboatnext
as in towboat

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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 tugboat The sun has barely risen when the mission's navy tugboat arrives on site, carrying an underwater robot and two large containers acting as makeshift offices for marine archaeologists. — CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026 Staying true to the myth Her team collaborated with a Staten Island ship and tugboat company to pull off the very complicated logistics, starting with figuring out how to anchor the cargo ship in such a way that the boat wasn’t completely fixed. — ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026 This park is located on the rolling hills of northern Contra Costa County, offering impressive views of giant ships and tugboats in the Carquinez Strait, part of the tidal estuary of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin rivers. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 4 May 2026 The operator of a tugboat pushing a barge that crashed into a summer-camp sailboat in Biscayne Bay last summer, killing three young girls, is negotiating a guilty plea with prosecutors to spare the victims’ families from a trial, his attorney told the Miami Herald on Tuesday. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tugboat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tugboat
  1. towboat
  2. barge
  3. tug
  4. ferryboat
  5. ferry
  6. keel
  7. keelboat
  8. lifeboat
Noun
  • When drought tightens the channel, water managers, dredge crews, and lock operators must communicate with towboat companies and shippers nearly every moment.
    — Alfredo Sosa, Christian Science Monitor, 24 June 2026
  • But crew numbers for each towboat are the same.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
Definition of towboat
Noun
  • These include the Type 91 surface-to-air missile barge, Type 92 underwater sensing vessel, Type 93 autonomous submarine, and Type 94 surface sensing vessel, all of which form part of the UK’s broader Hybrid Navy concept.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026
  • The dredge is conducted by crane and excavator barges that dig sand up and deposit it in another barge.
    — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026
Definition of barge
Noun
  • The current federal and state-level policy push shaping how companies deploy AI systems is also experiencing a tug of war.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 2 July 2026
  • The tug of war is also hair-raising because China's approach puts the world's most powerful AI in the hands of bad actors, who could – and likely will – use the models to wreak havoc.
    — Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of tug
Noun
  • But nearly a decade since the first city-run ferryboat set sail, the system has been working to win over skeptics.
    — Julia Press, Bloomberg, 22 May 2026
  • Crofton will be the only living person with a Disney ferryboat named after her.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Definition of ferryboat
Noun
  • After strikes on ships and the halt of ferry operations, Russia now depends solely on narrow land and bridge corridors.
    — Marc Santora, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • While taking the ferry to Liberty Island, Muir spoke to Captain Hamilton Clancy, who grew up in the shadow of the statue as his grandfather used to be the superintendent of Liberty Island.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of ferry
Noun
  • From there, the builder installs two clamping, adjustable keels called leeboards that act together like a centerboard.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026
  • Such low inflation gave the public more confidence in the Fed, which helps keep the economy on an even keel.
    — Barbara Hagenbaugh, USA Today, 22 June 2026
Definition of keel
Noun
  • This sailing school follows both Sail Canada's and keelboat certification programs as well.
    — Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Definition of keelboat
Noun
  • These feature deep-V hulls designed to cut through coastal chop and remain watertight and self-righting like a lifeboat.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 June 2026
  • Andrew MacDonald, the lifeboat commander on the rescue boat that responded to the incident, commended Archie’s quick thinking in the statement shared by the RNLI.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026
Definition of lifeboat

Browse Nearby Words

tug
tugboat
tugboats
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Cite this Entry

“Tugboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugboat. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tugboat

Nglish: Translation of tugboat for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tugboat

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