tug-of-war

noun

ˌtəg-ə(v)-ˈwȯr 

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 of tug-of-war

• rivalry
• battle
• struggle
• competition
• duel
• warfare
• conflict
• confrontation
• war
• contention

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

Mercury in your sign squares Mars in your 10th House, putting your voice, identity, and public responsibilities into a lively tug-of-war. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 2 Oct. 2026

To further test the adhesive’s stickiness, the team attached ropes to the ends of two strips of the tape, stuck the strips together, and used the setup for a tug-of-war between students and faculty. — New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026

Following last week's interest rate hike, Goolsbee was putting into perspective what to expect going forward in the Fed's tug-of-war between its dual mandate of fostering price stability and maximizing employment. — Kevin Stankiewicz,matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026

The addictively queasy tug-of-war between wanting to explore the next section and wanting to just say ‘nope’ and turn the whole thing off. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tug-of-war

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore
• heretofore

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