as in rivalries
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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Recent Examples of tugs-of-war
Youssef has a history of intense and high-profile tugs-of-war with Egypt’s authoritarian regimes, the most recent of which has been in power since 2014.
—
Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tugs-of-war
Noun
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As a 10-time world champion who’s entering her fifth, and final, Winter Olympics, American hockey star Hilary Knight, 35, has played a key role in energizing one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The sport was built on rivalries.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Submerged by a deluge of battles lost, assignments missed and a pair of deflections off Vancouver defenders into their own net.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Boats, motorcycles and chickens Neighbors’ recollections differ regarding the countless battles, what happened and when.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Starmer faces mounting pressure from Labor MPs over his judgment, with his premiership now in jeopardy amid broader government struggles and poor polling.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The 2025 August slide from the Padre with the biggest contract was especially unfortunate as the Padres (16-12 in August) were unable to fully capitalize on the Dodgers’ struggles (15-13 in August) to overtake them in the NL West.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Journal editors and professional societies can take early steps by adding a few positionality items to existing disclosure forms for psychedelic work and by asking authors to state briefly how experiential conflicts and role separation were handled in their trials.—
Ian Reardon,
STAT,
2 Feb. 2026
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California’s Department of Housing and Community Development has said previously that the height limit is a development standard that conflicts with density bonus law and has no authority over projects that meet the law’s affordability thresholds.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Canada has won four of the six Olympics championship duels with its southern neighbors, with the 2006 victory giving the country five overall Olympic women’s hockey golds.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
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But landing big jumps in competition, when adrenaline duels with cortisol, is more difficult.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Our reporting reveals that members and related officials have encouraged protesters to impede law enforcement; pushed civilians toward legally and physically risky confrontations; and helped mobilize a counterprotest that turned violent.—
Christina Buttons,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
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Their detention came as the nation has watched confrontations between Minnesota protesters and ICE agents and the subsequent deaths of two American citizen protesters in Minneapolis who came into contact with federal officers during demonstrations in the state.—
Elizabeth Zavala,
San Antonio Express-News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Although there will be a couple of weeks of sports competitions to come, none are possible without an opening ceremony, a combination of solemn official protocol with a fantastic representation of the host country’s culture and character, evoking the Olympic spirit itself.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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All told, Rodriguez has played for nine clubs, totaling 127 goals and 161 assists in 516 appearances across all competitions.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Alongside the bodies of martyrs from Iran’s past wars, the dusty earth of Behesht-e Zahra cemetery now cradles the remains of protesters killed in January’s protests, the latest conflict to rake Iran’s streets.—
Frederik Pleitgen,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
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Following pandemic-era school closures and culture wars, choice proponents have made unprecedented gains at the state and federal levels.—
Jonah Davids,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tugs-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugs-of-war. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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