tug-of-war
noun
plural tugs-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
Examples of tug-of-war in a Sentence
the effort to get their teenage son to keep his room clean is a constant tug-of-war
Recent Examples on the Web
Imelda’s slower than expected northward movement means Humberto will win a tropical tug-of-war and pull Imelda away from the shoreline.
—
Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Now, her interviews can focus on her interests and influences and not on the tug-of-war between audience desires and a creative’s needs.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Few municipalities from Key West to Tallahassee better reflect that tug-of-war than Hollywood.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Why show Franz playing tug-of-war naked at a sanitarium with a bunch of men wearing animal masks?
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Now, her interviews can focus on her interests and influences and not on the tug-of-war between audience desires and a creative’s needs.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Few municipalities from Key West to Tallahassee better reflect that tug-of-war than Hollywood.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Why show Franz playing tug-of-war naked at a sanitarium with a bunch of men wearing animal masks?
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tug-of-war. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share