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
Davies’ injury illustrates the tug-of-war between club and country before the World Cup.
—
Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Patients are in a tug-of-war with a technology that could better their health, or compromise it.
—Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026
Tatum won that tug-of-war, but the alternate-universe version of the Kardashian family tree now lives rent-free in fans’ minds.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
The snake was now winning the tug-of-war with Ryker, who’s around 6 foot 1 and 200 pounds.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Patients are in a tug-of-war with a technology that could better their health, or compromise it.
—Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026
Tatum won that tug-of-war, but the alternate-universe version of the Kardashian family tree now lives rent-free in fans’ minds.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
The snake was now winning the tug-of-war with Ryker, who’s around 6 foot 1 and 200 pounds.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
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 17 Mar. 2026.
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