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
China is among the parties interested in bidding to build new port terminals on each side of the Panama Canal, marking another potential flashpoint in the geopolitical tug-of-war surrounding the trade artery.
—
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 26 Nov. 2025
Americans who have visited the Scandinavian region (Sweden, Norway, and Denmark) are bringing back unique hacks to get the benefits of co-sleeping without the tug-of-war.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Nov. 2025
Kimmel's show was pulled off the air in September, which kicked off a brutal tug-of-war.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Nov. 2025
The annual Border Battle event started last year as a large tug-of-war between Minnesota Vikings fans and Green Bay Packers fans, with proceeds going to first responders on both sides of the river.
—Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 26 Nov. 2025
Americans who have visited the Scandinavian region (Sweden, Norway, and Denmark) are bringing back unique hacks to get the benefits of co-sleeping without the tug-of-war.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Nov. 2025
Kimmel's show was pulled off the air in September, which kicked off a brutal tug-of-war.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Nov. 2025
The annual Border Battle event started last year as a large tug-of-war between Minnesota Vikings fans and Green Bay Packers fans, with proceeds going to first responders on both sides of the river.
—Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 19 Nov. 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 5 Dec. 2025.
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