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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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

Word History

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tug-of-war was in 1677

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.

Kids Definition

tug-of-war

noun
ˌtəg-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

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