1
: a physical contest or struggle : scuffle
2
: an intense argument, controversy, or struggle
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
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2025
Baird’s quasi-satirical story emphasizes the tussle between high-mindedness and baser instincts.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2025
George Russell and Charles Leclerc tussle for the best of the rest.
—Jenny Catlin, New York Times, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tussle
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Noun
There was speculation that there was a tussle between Warner Bros. and Discovery Global over where WBITVP would sit, but the latter ended up making the most sense due in part to WBITVP boss Ronald Goes’ relationship with Zeiler, who has a keen understanding of international production.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2025
Baird’s quasi-satirical story emphasizes the tussle between high-mindedness and baser instincts.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Verb
The latest episode appears to be another turbulence in the tech rivalry between the United States and China, which have left businesses in both countries tussling with governments over market access and national security concerns.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2025
George Russell and Charles Leclerc tussle for the best of the rest.
—Jenny Catlin, New York Times, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Cite this Entry
“Tussle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tussle. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tussle
2 of 2 noun1
: a physical contest or struggle
2
: a rough argument or a struggle against difficult odds
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