as in skirmishes
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 wrestles
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
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Recent Examples of tussles
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
That plan was delayed for years by litigation from preservationists and legal and political tussles with Miami elected officials, including now former Mayor Francis Suarez, who tried to block demolition.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Multiple unnecessary tussles with the SEC, including a settlement that cost him $20 million and his position of Tesla chair for three years.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
As a result, high borrowing costs and legal tussles with restive foreign investors have left the country unable to take on debt abroad for most of the past two decades.
—Arkansas Online, 7 Dec. 2025
Winter’s vocal presence imagines a fearless indie oddball like Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus going for the full prattling gusto of the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger; the band tussles and sways exhilaratingly underfoot.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Winslet’s Julia and Riseborough’s Molly are forced to confront their long-running feud while everyone tussles with their bubbling grief.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Nov. 2025
Paired with zucchini spears and pine nuts, your tongue tussles with pillowy soft textures and crunch.
—Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Lonergan has been in his fair share of tussles for minutes between the sticks and thinks, in a lot of cases, goalkeepers should be treated like outfield players, where in-form backups retain their starts.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
From Agnes’ brutal childbirth scenes to the wrenching heartbreak when the plague hits their household and takes 11-year-old Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe), Zhao immerses you in Agnes and Will’s grief while also touching on their own individual internal tussles.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
That plan was delayed for years by litigation from preservationists and legal and political tussles with Miami elected officials, including now former Mayor Francis Suarez, who tried to block demolition.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Multiple unnecessary tussles with the SEC, including a settlement that cost him $20 million and his position of Tesla chair for three years.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
As a result, high borrowing costs and legal tussles with restive foreign investors have left the country unable to take on debt abroad for most of the past two decades.
—Arkansas Online, 7 Dec. 2025
Winter’s vocal presence imagines a fearless indie oddball like Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus going for the full prattling gusto of the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger; the band tussles and sways exhilaratingly underfoot.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Winslet’s Julia and Riseborough’s Molly are forced to confront their long-running feud while everyone tussles with their bubbling grief.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Nov. 2025
Paired with zucchini spears and pine nuts, your tongue tussles with pillowy soft textures and crunch.
—Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Lonergan has been in his fair share of tussles for minutes between the sticks and thinks, in a lot of cases, goalkeepers should be treated like outfield players, where in-form backups retain their starts.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussles
Noun
-
These were not skirmishes but full-scale conflicts, usually costing tens—sometimes hundreds—of thousands of lives.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
-
The tactics of federal immigration agents have come under intense scrutiny after the shooting of Good and growing skirmishes between federal officers and protesters.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This season, silence is louder than words, loyalties are tested, and as each woman wrestles with the past, not everyone will make it to the other side the same.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The police officer then wrestles Newman to the ground, and no shots are fired.—
Kate Reilly,
NBC news,
21 Dec. 2025
Noun
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And Eat Street was the scene of a series of clashes, before federal officers and local and state police pulled back and protesters took over the area.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Considered to be one of the earliest TV villains, the reality television alum was known for his lack of personal hygiene, as well as his frequent clashes with fellow housemates.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The National Immigration Law Center fights in courts and legislatures to protect low-income immigrants, ensuring that civil rights don’t disappear simply because of where someone was born.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
On the outskirts of the crowd, fights broke out between protesters and counter-protesters.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After stepping through a giant wooden door, tall grass teems with wild Pokémon, adorable critters strike charming poses and battles break out between fierce opponents.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
-
ByteDance’s focus on AI ByteDance also has other battles to fight.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tussles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussles. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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