tussle

1 of 2

noun

tus·​sle ˈtə-səl 

1

: a physical contest or struggle : scuffle

2

: an intense argument, controversy, or struggle

tussle

2 of 2

verb

tussled; tussling ˈtə-s(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

: to struggle roughly : scuffle

Synonyms

Noun

• battle
• clash
• combat
• conflict
• contest
• dustup
• fight
• fracas
• fray
• hassle
• scrap
• scrimmage
• scrum
• scuffle
• skirmish
• struggle

Verb

• grapple
• rassle
• scuffle
• wrestle

Examples of tussle in a Sentence

Noun

The suspect was arrested after a tussle with a security guard.

a tussle for control of the company

The President is in for another tussle with Congress.

Verb

Two players tussled for the ball.

The residents of the neighborhood tussled with city hall for years about the broken parking meters.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The uneasy teammates squabble and tussle, eventually falling through the floor, all while set to the wild instrumentations of gypsy punk. —Ben Croll, Variety, 14 June 2024

There have been knife fights, stabbings, tussles after NYPD moped confiscations, struggles over coats and food and a brawl after a man desperate for a shelter bed pushed into a migrant center. —Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2024

Verb

Parts of Spain also see a similar trend, with locals and tourists tussling over water use. —Will Daniel, Fortune Europe, 10 July 2024

Videos shared on social media show dozens of officers tussling with dozens of students who locked arms around the encampment. —Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English (Scots) tussillen, frequentative of Middle English -tusen, -tousen to tousle — more at touse

First Known Use

Noun

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1638, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tussle

1 of 2 verb

tus·​sle ˈtəs-əl 

tussled; tussling

ˈtəs-(ə-)liŋ

: scuffle sense 1

tussle

2 of 2 noun

1

: a physical contest or struggle

2

: a rough argument or a struggle against difficult odds