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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of tug-of-war
For decades, America’s healthcare system has been caught in a tug-of-war between cost containment and patient care.
—
Jason Phillips, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
This legal tug-of-war underscores the importance of Denver’s decision.
—Stefan Chavez-Norgaard, The Conversation, 16 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
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Jason Phillips, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
This legal tug-of-war underscores the importance of Denver’s decision.
—Stefan Chavez-Norgaard, The Conversation, 16 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
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug-of-war
Noun
-
Small and middle powers, particularly those from the Global South, are stepping into this breach and providing an essential public good that great powers, bound by their own rivalries, increasingly cannot.—
Galip Dalay,
Time,
6 Jan. 2026
-
And there is a friendly rivalry there.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
With a high-stakes battle for the 2026 midterms looming, the Evergreen State appears poised to join the trend of states using congressional redistricting for partisan advantage.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Rattler won the quarterback battle in training camp over Shough, but after going 1-7, Moore made the switch to his rookie.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
From its beginning, the leaders of the rebellion well understood the global reach and resonance of their great struggle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The historic build-up stands in stark contrast to the United States’ own supply struggles.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
That simple change would introduce real competition, allowing merchants to choose lower-cost options and forcing the dominant players to compete on price and service--just like any other market.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Two years ago at the Winter X Games, Kim became the first woman to pull off a 1260-degree spin in competition.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The return from injury of Gravenberch, who won six of his eight duels, was another welcome sight, along with Alexis Mac Allister completing 90 minutes for Liverpool for the first time since April.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Much like the classic Tom Brady-Peyton Manning duels of old, the quarterback matchup between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen — the two current MVP frontrunners — is can’t-miss television.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The projects included restoring two bread ovens at a bakery destroyed by Russian warfare, and purchasing a delivery van so that bread could reach more people.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Its utility, for autonomous command and control, has application across the seabed warfare domain and aligns with the UK Government’s vision for a ‘Hybrid Navy’ and the Royal Navy’s Long Term Capability Plan for MCM mission systems integration, according to the Thales.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As is often the case when Arsenal and Chelsea meet, this match had the potential to be one of those gloriously uninhibited conflicts.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
As for South Sudan, a senior United Nations official said earlier this week that the ongoing conflict in Sudan is causing destabilization in South Sudan, including armed clashes and food insecurity.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The confrontation, which played out on a livestream, quickly went viral and garnered the attention of pageant followers worldwide.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
-
After all, the tension between these planets can stir up emotional confrontations, magnetic attractions and psychological power plays.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug-of-war. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share