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
Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
The show's Hot Topics segment feels more like a coffee clutch among close friends than a talk show tussle.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Would Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic stay on the right side of the match officials when tussling with Gabriel and William Saliba?
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Noun
During one of the shootings, Sheriff Shittu, a 30-year-old aspiring fashion designer, was fatally shot in the head following a tussle with a drunk patron who had groped his girlfriend earlier in the night.
—Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
The show's Hot Topics segment feels more like a coffee clutch among close friends than a talk show tussle.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
Two hummingbirds tussled in low branches.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Would Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic stay on the right side of the match officials when tussling with Gabriel and William Saliba?
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussle
Noun
-
Bachman quit the band after the Fillmore show in May 1970, fed up with the rigors of touring, business disputes, and lifestyle clashes.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2026
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Pakistan’s military, backed by artillery and air power, struck more Afghan military installations deep inside Afghanistan overnight and into early Saturday, killing over 300 Afghan forces in dayslong border clashes, a government spokesman and officials said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Stocks swung wildly last week as investors wrestled with the impact of artificial intelligence on various sectors and the overall economy.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2026
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Now Democrats are wrestling with what comes next, and nowhere is that fight playing out more clearly than in this Massachusetts primary.—
Juliegrace Brufke,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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While the skirmish was going on, Tre White had to be held back by KU assistant Tony Bland, and White did not seem pleased as the two exchanged some words.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
4 Mar. 2026
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What happened Pakistan’s military Sunday escalated days of violent skirmishes with Afghanistan by launching airstrikes on Bagram Air Base, according to Afghan officials.—
Peter Weber,
TheWeek,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The designation, which Anthropic will fight in court, could become a serious problem for the startup, which earns its revenue through enterprise software sales to companies that might currently or one day want to work with the military in some capacity.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
28 Feb. 2026
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Prosecutors are fighting to prevent Cox from being able to cross examine witnesses.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The program currently remains in another legal battle, with people able to renew their status but no new applications accepted.—
Mathew Miranda
February 26,
Sacbee.com,
27 Feb. 2026
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The battle pitted Ellison against Netflix, the industry’s biggest and most important player.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Police body camera footage released by the Connecticut Office of Inspector General Inspector showed Walker brandishing a knife and raised the blade toward a policeman who had fallen over during a scuffle in the apartment involving Walker and his family members.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
4 Mar. 2026
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Video from multiple angles showed that Pretti did not try to draw his gun from his waistband before or during the scuffle with federal agents.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The decline of perks, on top of teachers’ financial struggles, may be contributing to burnout at public schools.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
2 Mar. 2026
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The struggle of this transit is patience — or the lack thereof.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tussle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussle. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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