noun
- a small, powerful boat used to pull or push larger ships in harbors or narrow waterways
Usage: nautical
Examples
- The tugboat guided the cargo ship safely into the harbor.
- Two tugboats worked together to move the oil tanker away from the dock.
- The captain of the tugboat had thirty years of experience in the port.
- A small tugboat can pull ships many times its size.
- The tugboat’s powerful engines churned the water as it pushed the barge.
- Harbor pilots often rely on tugboats to maneuver large vessels in tight spaces.