Synonyms of tussles

tussles 1 of 2

noun

plural of tussle

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

• skirmishes
• clashes
• fights
• battles
• scuffles
• struggles
• brawls
• dustups
• frays
• confrontations
• altercations
• conflicts
• contests
• scrimmages
• duels
• fracases
• combats
• quarrels
• scrums
• scraps
• disputes
• hassles
• fisticuffs
• fistfights
• squabbles
• blows
• broils
• melees
• spats
• slugfests
• pitched battles
• tangles
• wrangles
• jousts
• controversies
• mix-ups
• disagreements
• affrays
• ructions
• punch-ups
• tiffs
• ruckuses
• contretemps
• donnybrooks
• battles royal
• catfights
• rows
• punch-outs
• misunderstandings
• fallings-out
• rough-and-tumbles
• grapples
• arguments
• face-offs
• free-for-alls
• cross fires
• handgrips
• kickups
• argle-bargles
• argy-bargies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• truces

tussles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of tussle

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

• wrestles
• fights
• scuffles
• brawls
• grapples
• battles
• rassles
• duels
• combats
• contends
• wars (against)
• punches
• skirmishes
• hits
• clashes (with)
• strikes
• boxes
• spars
• slugs
• bashes
• buffets
• batters
• beats

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tussles

Noun

That movie’s absurdities didn’t occur onscreen but in the subsequent legal tussles between its star, Blake Lively, and its director and co-star, Justin Baldoni. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026

On Day 7, upsets and tussles, a huge deficit in the draws and a college tennis honor. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

The Coastal Commission signed off on the project a few years ago, after tussles over low-cost housing provisions during the course of erecting yet another luxury hotel. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

In the 1997 film, the title character (Brendan Fraser) tussles with the beast before rescuing Ursula (Mann). — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026

There haven’t been any tussles so far in this year’s sessions, but camp is young, and the pads come on Monday. — Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026

As his tussles with grief and sobriety and heartbreak appear in flashes, so do red and blue police lights. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026

The legal tussles boil down to whether the federal government or the states have primary authority to oversee prediction markets, which allow users to bet on the outcome of sports, elections and many other events. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 24 June 2026

That Jonas is, himself, a former boy band star who has at times gone it alone, lends the movie a direct connection to contemporary music, where tussles over authorship are increasingly common. — ABC News, 3 June 2026