1
as in pulled
to cause to follow by applying steady force on
tugged on the door until it opened
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tugged
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
One weekend last November it was tugged around the harbor wrapped in a pink Nike ad.
—
Lincoln Anderson,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
The rookie tryout cornerback repeatedly tugged on undrafted rookie wide receiver Omari Kelly’s jersey as Kelly ran a go route up the left sideline.
—
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
When Wembanyama then grabbed the ensuing rebound right over Reid, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels came in and tugged down on Wembanyama’s jersey from behind, then held onto his off arm.
—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Sure, the sequence largely swipes away hints given prior that Bowser was an absent father, but in a film where most of the characters veer toward the blandly nice, watching a dad and his son bond over their same sociopathic tendencies was the only moment that tugged at the heartstrings.
—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
Smoldering at the camera, the star—who’s currently dating Scooter Braun—tugged down the straps of the plum-chocolate bra and covered her chest with her hands.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 Mar. 2026
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
One weekend last November it was tugged around the harbor wrapped in a pink Nike ad.
—
Lincoln Anderson,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
The rookie tryout cornerback repeatedly tugged on undrafted rookie wide receiver Omari Kelly’s jersey as Kelly ran a go route up the left sideline.
—
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
When Wembanyama then grabbed the ensuing rebound right over Reid, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels came in and tugged down on Wembanyama’s jersey from behind, then held onto his off arm.
—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Sure, the sequence largely swipes away hints given prior that Bowser was an absent father, but in a film where most of the characters veer toward the blandly nice, watching a dad and his son bond over their same sociopathic tendencies was the only moment that tugged at the heartstrings.
—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
Smoldering at the camera, the star—who’s currently dating Scooter Braun—tugged down the straps of the plum-chocolate bra and covered her chest with her hands.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tugged
Verb
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Cape Verde almost pulled the biggest upset in World Cup history.
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Garibay’s one-handed save denied Jonathan Ricketts a sure goal in the 64th minute, and Moon pulled a 30-yard opportunity off a poor corner kick clearance just wide left.
Verb
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Germany, whose 10 goals in the group stage were tied for the most of any team, struggled to find a way through Paraguay's 4-5-1 setup.
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Even as her body struggled, Gifford noted her sense of humor never disappeared.
Verb
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The 85 million pounds of food, including meat and fish, is expected to be hauled to multiple landfills in Los Angeles, Ventura and Riverside counties.
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The centerpiece of the property is the Mammoth Mine, a dormant gold operation that hauled up close to a literal ton of bullion in its day — 31,500 ounces, according to National Land Realty, which is listing the site.
Verb
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On the same pitch earlier, South Africa labored past Bangladesh by four wickets and waited for India's fate.
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England impressed in an exciting 4-2 win over historic overperformers Croatia while another pre-tournament favorite, Portugal, labored to a 1-1 draw with DR Congo.
Verb
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When Twain lunched with Theodore Roosevelt, he was dismayed that the president dragged in his Rough Rider exploits in Cuba three or four times.
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The bureau said government spending, exports, consumer spending all drove real GDP growth, while imports dragged.
Verb
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Before volunteering at the church, Ugboaja worked for a decade as a certified nursing assistant at DHR Health in Edinburg, Texas, according to the diocese.
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The family worked with the FBI to craft a response, but there was no email back.
Verb
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When Disney+ first launched, the House of Mouse endeavored to make its streaming platform the new home of all things Star Wars.
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Johnson for months endeavored to appoint his ally ex-Ald.
Cite this Entry
“Tugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugged. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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