as in clash
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a small tussle on the basketball court was quickly broken up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to wrestle
to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery
puppies tussling with one another, rolling over and over on the carpet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of tussle
Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
In addition to the suit filed today against the Shells, Cipriani is in a legal tussle with Las Vegas casino owners Resorts World.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
Jill Lawless, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Isaiah Stewart left the bench to confront Bridges, who responded with a punch, and the players tussled.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Noun
The trial is part of a much larger legal tussle over the matter, with potential implications for Abbott and for families of babies born prematurely nationwide.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
In addition to the suit filed today against the Shells, Cipriani is in a legal tussle with Las Vegas casino owners Resorts World.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
The pair were caught tussling several times before Palmerston retired in 2020.
—Jill Lawless, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Isaiah Stewart left the bench to confront Bridges, who responded with a punch, and the players tussled.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussle
Noun
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Taken together, the clashes in Virginia, New Jersey, Utah, Wisconsin, and other states point to a deeper institutional standoff.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
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Shifting opinions While the 2024 war saw relative unity in Lebanon behind Hezbollah’s clashes with the IDF – feelings driven by anger at the war in Gaza – this latest conflict has seen emboldened opposition to the armed group.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Clark wrestled a rebound away from UCF’s Themus Fulks with 16 seconds left and began to dribble away – only to lose the ball out of bounds.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
21 Mar. 2026
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And Duke — a blueblood with five NCAA titles — spent much of Thursday in serious danger of being added to that list before finally wrestling away control of the game in the last 8 minutes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The war began after several rounds of airstrikes and cross-border skirmishes, stemming from Pakistani claims that the Afghan government was harboring terrorists who used the country as a base to launch attacks against Pakistan.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
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The curbs were initially enacted in 2020 after a border skirmish escalated tensions between the world’s two most populous nations.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But is everyone really fighting in this scenario?—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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Michael Loria The war with Iran has sparked fighting throughout the Middle East, including in Lebanon where Israel and Iran ally Hezbollah have been fighting intermittently for generations.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Longhorns have won the turnover battle in all but three of their games.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
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When Jokic was out in January, the Nuggets understood that the ideal upset formula involved winning the possession battle.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Honorable mention goes to choosing Adin Hill over Logan Thompson, then watching Hill scuffle as Thompson turned into one of the best goalies in the league with Washington.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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When sharing the details of their scuffle with her husband, Conner Leavitt, Whitney’s partner voices a thought that reiterates most of what Mormon Wives season four exudes.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At the time, the country was in the throes of a political struggle over leadership following the killing, with the interim prime minister, Claude Joseph, initially in charge before his replacement, Ariel Henry, took over.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
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Lane mentions the farmers’ struggle and how the president did not help them out.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tussle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussle. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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