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
This climactic collision is woven from several minor ethical tugs-of-war that rest on each character exhibiting both selfishness and altruism in various scenes, until their complicated humanity is placed under a harsh spotlight.
—
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
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
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tugs-of-war
Noun
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The level of vitriol between the two fan bases, particularly online, is absolutely on par with some of the league’s best rivalries.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The 49ers Museum offers a window into the traditions, rivalries, and fan culture that define American football.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Guests experienced the unexpected pairing of CHEETOS FLAMIN’ HOT and dill pickle through product sampling, custom cocktails, fan-favorite arcade games, karaoke battles, and a high-energy dancefloor soundtracked by Loud Luxury’s signature mashups.—
Billboard Staff,
Billboard,
17 Mar. 2026
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Understandably, some gamers may be skeptical or even alarmed, given the ethical issues and legal battles surrounding generative AI.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Images of marchers protesting the Nigerian civil war and of leaders of anti-colonial struggles blend with early documentation of European women’s-liberation movements.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
-
After admittedly chasing stats, which led to some early-season struggles, Simmons settled into the defensive end possession and blossomed into one of the SEC’s most prolific sack masters.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Romantasy books blend the best of both the fantasy and romance genres, delivering high-stakes political conflicts, endless action and plot twists, and, of course, swoon-worthy love.—
De Elizabeth,
Glamour,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Teaching students how to explore connections between characters and conflicts in a novel to people and situations in their own lives makes resorting to chatbots less appealing, if not altogether useless.—
Gayle Rogers,
The Conversation,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin both have the ability to win aerial duels and run off their partner’s flick-ons.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
In Dumas’ work, fights and duels and brave assaults on prisons are done grandly, out in the open.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That strike lasted more than a year and included violent confrontations between police and protesters, according to the Minnesota Historical Society.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
-
That strike lasted more than a year and included violent confrontations between police and protesters, according to the Minnesota Historical Society.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There will also be live music and entertainment, competitions and a peach pedal bike ride.—
Alyson Rodriguez,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
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The only question is whether their uptick in performances is too little, too late — but Nuno’s side have only lost two of their last 12 matches in all competitions.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In many wars, citizens are able to supplement official reporting with first-person accounts posted on social media and widely shared, Rahimi said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Mar. 2026
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She's also covered the cartel wars along the TX-MX border, Congress in Mexico City, 3 presidential races, and 6 hurricanes.—
Karen Brooks Harper
Austin Bureau,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tugs-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugs-of-war. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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