: a strongly built powerful boat used for towing and pushing
called also towboat
Examples of tugboat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Murphy’s parents, her 8-year-old brother and other refugees fled on a tugboat her father commandeered from an employer.
—
Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2025
In other words, the Sunbirds would function like space tugboats.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
Image Back on a tugboat, taking us to shore in the Firth of Clyde, Mr. Starmer sat alone, staring out a window at the gathering clouds.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2025
In separate raids on Crimean anchorages in February, May and June 2024, the USVs sank a corvette, a landing ship, a patrol boat and a tugboat.
—David Axe, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tugboat
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Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2025
In other words, the Sunbirds would function like space tugboats.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
Image Back on a tugboat, taking us to shore in the Firth of Clyde, Mr. Starmer sat alone, staring out a window at the gathering clouds.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2025
In separate raids on Crimean anchorages in February, May and June 2024, the USVs sank a corvette, a landing ship, a patrol boat and a tugboat.
—David Axe, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tugboat
Cite this Entry
“Tugboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tugboat. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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tugboat
noun
tug·boat
ˈtəg-ˌbōt 
: a strongly built powerful boat used for towing and pushing ships
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