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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Listening felt like being pulled into side chats with lots of different characters who were at precisely the right level of intoxication to reveal something interesting to you—crushes, anxieties, rivalries.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
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Lucas was also an assistant coach with Kentucky and Duke — teams that have big in-state rivalries with Louisville and North Carolina, respectively.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The opening of Acorn Ridge Casino follows two decades of delays and legal battles regarding land, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
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The battles took place in modern-day Israel, Turkey, Syria and other Middle Eastern countries.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The idea is to catch reading struggles early on and guide parents on how to help their kids.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Real estate struggles and the property’s primary lender going through bankruptcy thrust the hotel into its first complicated foreclosure in October 2010.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rapid Rehousing also teaches students about managing personal finances, understanding lease agreements, handling roommate conflicts, and planning for housing after graduation.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
-
As the play weaves through time, the focuses on the actions done for the benefit of Joe’s family, and his wife Kate’s moral compass, creating brutal conflicts.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Bernal would also provide a more physical presence in duels.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Physical, mobile defender who excels in 1v1 duels and recovery defending.—
Abraham Nudelstejer,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The tension also spilled into his confrontations with the judicial branch.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israeli military’s Home Front Command to prepare itself for possible confrontations with the Islamic Republic, which officials anticipate could be initiated at any time.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In their past 15 meetings in all competitions since January 2020, Chelsea have won just once.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Pink proposed to Carey Hart at one of his competitions.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Although fertility trends are notoriously hard to predict, and baby booms are often seen after wars end, Ippolitova said the country's low fertility rate could still trouble the Ukrainian economy in the future.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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To capitalize on this yearning for tradition, and to bind sumo’s fortunes to the state, the sport’s governing body aligned itself with the rising tide of nationalism that took hold of Japan after its victories in wars against the Chinese and the Russians.—
Joshua Hunt,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tugs-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugs-of-war. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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