as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the effort to get their teenage son to keep his room clean is a constant tug-of-war
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tug-of-war
Neither youngster seemed to be winning their morning game of tug-of-war over an empty feed bag.
—
Bennet Goldstein, jsonline.com, 4 July 2025
Other storylines teased by the trailer include a crisis of faith for Layla and the continuing tug-of-war between Taylor and her ex, Dakota Mortensen.
—EW.com, 3 July 2025
Activities like tug-of-war or gentle chase games tap into your dog's natural instincts, such as hunting or grabbing.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
The Golden State’s tug-of-war between environmental advocacy and a worsening housing crisis came to a head Monday evening when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law two bills that will overhaul the landmark California Environmental Quality Act in an effort to ease new construction in the state.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Bennet Goldstein, jsonline.com, 4 July 2025
Other storylines teased by the trailer include a crisis of faith for Layla and the continuing tug-of-war between Taylor and her ex, Dakota Mortensen.
—EW.com, 3 July 2025
Activities like tug-of-war or gentle chase games tap into your dog's natural instincts, such as hunting or grabbing.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
The Golden State’s tug-of-war between environmental advocacy and a worsening housing crisis came to a head Monday evening when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law two bills that will overhaul the landmark California Environmental Quality Act in an effort to ease new construction in the state.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug-of-war
Noun
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The plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged Amazon didn't consider the Falcon 9 due to an intense and personal rivalry between Bezos and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
18 July 2025
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However, the trade rivalry between the U.S. and China has been weighing heavily on the industry.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
15 July 2025
Noun
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The injuries that eventually cut the third baseman’s career short began to take hold right before Forde lost a years-long battle with breast cancer.—
Abbey Mastracco,
Hartford Courant,
19 July 2025
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Coming weeks after Lexington and Concord, the battle marked the British effort to control the hills surrounding Boston’s harbor.—
Brian T. Allen,
National Review,
19 July 2025
Noun
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Ra’s faith in cosmic travel put him at odds with other prominent African American figures of the period, who saw the space race as a distraction from the more urgent struggles of the civil rights era.—
Ekow Eshun
July 11,
Literary Hub,
11 July 2025
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Rivera fired his Taser at Feliz, then got into the car on the passenger’s side and threatened to shoot Rivera as a physical struggle ensued, according to body camera footage, as another officer attempted to yank Feliz out of the vehicle.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
11 July 2025
Noun
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While RuPaul holds the record, Klum is hot on her tail, as the Project Runway host returns to the fashion competition program on July 31 for the first time since 2017, as the show moves from Bravo to Freeform, Hulu, and Disney+.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
15 July 2025
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Stage 32 is launching a Global Screenwriting Contest Hub, bringing together dozens of writing competitions from around the world into one place including Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying contests.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
15 July 2025
Noun
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Junk and Baltimore starter Trevor Rogers engaged in a pitchers’ duel into the seventh inning.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
12 July 2025
-
What looked like a classic pitchers’ duel before the game took some twists and turns on Friday, with one ace looking rock-solid, but losing, and another ace struggling early, but winning.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
12 July 2025
Noun
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When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
9 July 2025
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In World War II, amphibious aircraft were used for reconnaissance, search and rescue operations, and anti-submarine warfare.—
Daniel Cote,
Robb Report,
9 July 2025
Noun
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There have been conflicts between rideshare drivers and taxis in the past, so consider sticking with a reputable taxi or car service, However, the more adventurous can rent a car to explore nearby cenotes, ruins, and regional highlights.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
12 July 2025
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The deportations – part of a program Iran announced in March – have radically increased in pace since the 12-day conflict with Israel, fueled by unsubstantiated claims that Afghans had spied for Israel prior to and during the attacks.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
Noun
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That ultimately led to a verbal confrontation between Morrow, 47, and Steve Raleigh.—
Kevin Grasha,
The Enquirer,
11 July 2025
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The incident is one of the latest in a growing series of confrontations with federal immigration officers.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug-of-war. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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