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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tugs-of-war
Noun
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Following a division in season guarantees drama and the playoffs, and the AFC North — with the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns — showcases bitter rivalries that make for good TV.—
Matt Brennan,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2025 -
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres have one of the bitterest rivalries in all of sports.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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There were a couple of confrontations when the game got heated in the fourth quarter, but the Kings wouldn’t back down.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacramento Bee,
4 Jan. 2025
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Israel says most of these are militants, but youths throwing stones and people not involved in confrontations have also been killed.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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With 11 goals and three assists across 23 appearances in all competitions, Diaz is thriving up front under Arne Slot and was the star player in a stunning 6-3 victory at Tottenham Hotspur.—
Gregg Evans,
The Athletic,
24 Dec. 2024
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Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s team have won just one of their last 12 fixtures in all competitions with Saturday’s defeat to Aston Villa dropping the defending Premier League champions down to seventh in the table, notably below Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Tugs-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugs-of-war. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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