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
Synonyms
Examples of tug-of-war in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The corporate world’s post-COVID era has been defined by a tug-of-war between staff and employers over returning to the office.
—
Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 21 Nov. 2023
The result is a kind of tug-of-war between two of the economy’s main pillars.
—Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023
Back on the ground, there was a tug-of-war between the Sussexes’ team and Buckingham Palace over whether to announce the news without Harry being informed.
—Michelle Tauber, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2023
Said drawers are designed to open and close smoothly, so don’t worry about playing tug-of-war.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Nov. 2023
Instead, their release became an emotional tug-of-war that has played out in the court system and in the grieving community.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
That never-ending gravitational tug-of-war makes the rocky surface of Io move up and down by 100 meters, the same height as a 30-story building.
—Quanta Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023
The world that was in the palm of his hand was in a tug-of-war with the world on his shoulders.
—Thomas Lennon, Variety, 31 Oct. 2023
Workers and employers have been engaged in a tug-of-war over return-to-work mandates since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2023
See More
Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 21 Nov. 2023
The result is a kind of tug-of-war between two of the economy’s main pillars.
—Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023
Back on the ground, there was a tug-of-war between the Sussexes’ team and Buckingham Palace over whether to announce the news without Harry being informed.
—Michelle Tauber, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2023
Said drawers are designed to open and close smoothly, so don’t worry about playing tug-of-war.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Nov. 2023
Instead, their release became an emotional tug-of-war that has played out in the court system and in the grieving community.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
That never-ending gravitational tug-of-war makes the rocky surface of Io move up and down by 100 meters, the same height as a 30-story building.
—Quanta Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023
The world that was in the palm of his hand was in a tug-of-war with the world on his shoulders.
—Thomas Lennon, Variety, 31 Oct. 2023
Workers and employers have been engaged in a tug-of-war over return-to-work mandates since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tug-of-war.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near 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 8 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
tug-of-war
nounˌtəg-ə(v)-ˈwȯ(ə)r
plural tugs-of-war
1
: a struggle to win
2
: a contest in which two teams pull against each other at opposite ends of a rope
More from Merriam-Webster on tug-of-war
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tug-of-war
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