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
Despite the strong motive, the case quickly stalled amid a jurisdictional tug-of-war between local authorities.
—
Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 27 June 2025
There are several voice assistants locked in a tug-of-war over who controls the smart speakers in your home: Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, and Apple’s Siri.
—Nena Farrell, Wired News, 26 June 2025
For the first time since Nielsen began keeping track of the tug-of-war between traditional TV usage and streaming consumption, the once-dominant medium has ceded its advantage over the digital disruptors.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 June 2025
Already the volatility has lit a fire under the U.S. dollar, which has been caught in a tug-of-war between better-than-expected inflation expectations and a flee to safety amid rising geopolitical tensions.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 27 June 2025
There are several voice assistants locked in a tug-of-war over who controls the smart speakers in your home: Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, and Apple’s Siri.
—Nena Farrell, Wired News, 26 June 2025
For the first time since Nielsen began keeping track of the tug-of-war between traditional TV usage and streaming consumption, the once-dominant medium has ceded its advantage over the digital disruptors.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 June 2025
Already the volatility has lit a fire under the U.S. dollar, which has been caught in a tug-of-war between better-than-expected inflation expectations and a flee to safety amid rising geopolitical tensions.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 June 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 8 Jul. 2025.
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