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
That included MrBeast, who appeared with Mohan on stage to note how his entertainment empire owes its existence to YouTube, and later led a tug-of-war competition between five members of the crowd and former NFL stars Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.
—
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
Despite the ongoing tug-of-war, none regret embracing motherhood.
—Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025
This simultaneously occurs with a Mercury-Pluto square, creating a tug-of-war between your self-expression and your sense of stability, or your romantic attractions and your core values.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 May 2025
This tug-of-war to politically appropriate the pope was perhaps inevitable.
—Christopher Hale, Time, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
Despite the ongoing tug-of-war, none regret embracing motherhood.
—Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025
This simultaneously occurs with a Mercury-Pluto square, creating a tug-of-war between your self-expression and your sense of stability, or your romantic attractions and your core values.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 May 2025
This tug-of-war to politically appropriate the pope was perhaps inevitable.
—Christopher Hale, Time, 9 May 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 20 May. 2025.
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