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
So what do drivers actually want in this tug-of-war between cheap trucks and climate rules?
—
Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
After the dust settled in a wild tug-of-war between Vanderbilt football and Georgia, Curtis committed to Vanderbilt on the eve of early signing day.
—Tyler Palmateer, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Dec. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
After the dust settled in a wild tug-of-war between Vanderbilt football and Georgia, Curtis committed to Vanderbilt on the eve of early signing day.
—Tyler Palmateer, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Dec. 2025
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
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 11 Dec. 2025.
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