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
From tug-of-war and indoor fetch to puzzle toys and hide-and-seek, these games offer physical and cognitive engagement without stepping out the door.
—
Jenna Prestininzi, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
Caught in a gravitational tug-of-war between Jupiter’s intense gravity and that of other nearby large moons, Io’s innards are kneaded like dough by tidal forces, generating immense heat that powers enormous eruptions.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025
The state has been locked in a political tug-of-war over LGBTQ+ rights that gives members of that community reason to hope and reason to fear.
—Sarah Henry, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
But the real Battlefield experience is the tug-of-war around capturing locations in prolonged battles of attrition.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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.
Jenna Prestininzi, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
Caught in a gravitational tug-of-war between Jupiter’s intense gravity and that of other nearby large moons, Io’s innards are kneaded like dough by tidal forces, generating immense heat that powers enormous eruptions.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025
The state has been locked in a political tug-of-war over LGBTQ+ rights that gives members of that community reason to hope and reason to fear.
—Sarah Henry, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
But the real Battlefield experience is the tug-of-war around capturing locations in prolonged battles of attrition.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share