cut and thrust

noun

chiefly British
: the lively and exciting quality of an activity in which people compete or argue with each other
He has always enjoyed the cut and thrust of politics.

Examples of cut and thrust in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The cut and thrust of ideas, life stories, fears and emotional twists between these two forceful, vibrant women — one a novelist, the other a war correspondent for the New York Times — proves a cinematic goldmine. Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2024 Ever since its 2013 election ruling, the judiciary has become increasingly enmeshed in the cut and thrust of electoral politics. Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 15 Nov. 2017 Above the cut and thrust of legislative debate, nations are also caught in a contradiction. Mustafa Suleyman, WIRED, 6 Sep. 2023 The public typically hears less about the cut and thrust of policymaking that takes place several levels down the bureaucratic chain. Sarah E. Mendelson, Foreign Affairs, 13 July 2017 Editor Anne Fabini applies a lazy, hazy high-summer rhythm to proceedings that coordinates well with Armin Dierolf’s humid widescreen lensing, with its heavy yellow filters and slow, intoxicated movement — broken only by the aggressive cut and thrust, so to speak, of the film’s love scenes. Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cut and thrust.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near cut and thrust

Cite this Entry

“Cut and thrust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cut%20and%20thrust. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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