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
Relevance
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
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Colorado had already piled up 106 points before Monday night’s Flames tussle and started the week on pace for 121 points on the season.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2026
Ready for a chopped, tussled look?
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Noun
During the tussle, a group of long-distance swimmers went to swim by, and the shark ultimately bit a man's leg.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Colorado had already piled up 106 points before Monday night’s Flames tussle and started the week on pace for 121 points on the season.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
In downtown Hartford, Luari has tussled several times in court over unpaid rent with Lexington Partners, a part owner and manager of 5 Constitution Plaza where The Place 2 Be operates.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2026
Ready for a chopped, tussled look?
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussle
Noun
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City will have one eye on clinching the FA Cup trophy for the third time in eight years, while Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final clashes with Atletico Madrid will take plenty out of them physically and mentally.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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The dog-waste donnybrook was similar to another recent clash in Brooklyn that saw a 75-year-old grandmother jumped and beaten for complaining that a dog walker was not cleaning up the pooch’s poop.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Having wrestled the title momentum away from Arsenal this week, City are the obvious answer here, but there are reasons for optimism in north London.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Lawmakers in Connecticut have wrestled with how exactly to regulate the issue, particularly in the wake of reports that grocery stores in the state were using facial recognition technology to track shopper activity.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Pittsburgh Penguins staved off elimination for the second straight game with a clutch Game 5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night, but celebrations were briefly halted when a skirmish erupted over a controversial hit on Sidney Crosby after the final buzzer.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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Walker, in a 10-pitch skirmish, drew a walk.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Viel also finished the game by fighting Podkolzin.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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Does the fact that none of this was effective—at least in the sense that Trump hasn’t been driven from the political scene for good—suggest that Democrats should now fight dirtier?—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Avoid ego battles with parents and bosses.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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Find out for yourself with its chaotic four-on-four battles.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Near the end of the penultimate episode, Cashman confronts Blake about Urich, shoves him to the ground in a scuffle and shoots him dead.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
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The impasse apparently led to a couple of scuffles, including one at a barbershop where Carter was nearly stabbed until one of the men cutting hair intervened.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Plenty of Sellers’ struggles could be pinned on offensive play calling and a lack of polished talent around him.—
Nick Baumgardner,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Water Tower Place is about to get a complete $170 million makeover, a big step toward its recovery after years of financial struggle and the loss of several major tenants.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tussle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussle. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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