tug-of-war

tug–of–war

noun \ˌtəg-ə(v)-ˈwȯr\

plural tugs–of–war

Definition of TUG-OF-WAR

1

: a struggle for supremacy or control usually involving two antagonists

2

: a contest in which two teams pull against each other at opposite ends of a rope with the object of pulling the middle of the rope over a mark on the ground

First Known Use of TUG-OF-WAR

1677

Related to TUG-OF-WAR

Synonyms: ball game, battle, combat, competition, conflict, confrontation, contention, dogfight, duel, face-off, grapple, match, rivalry, strife, struggle, sweepstakes (also sweep-stake), tug-of-war, war, warfare

Related Words: horse race, nail-biter; showdown; clash, collision, discord, friction; argument, controversy, debate, disagreement, disputation, dispute, dissension (also dissention), quarrel, row, wrangle

Near Antonyms: concord, harmony, peace

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