as in wrestling
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
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Recent Examples of tussling
Yet the index has sagged to the bottom of this two-month range and is again tussling with its 50-day moving average.
—
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 16 Dec. 2025
The characters were distrustful of each other (because anybody could be the killer), and one of Warren’s favorite memories is the scene with her and Mull tussling to get out of a tight bar space at the same time.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
As a longtime Boulder resident, Dan used to climb the trees that were adjacent to Folsom in the ’70s to get a glimpse of CU tussling with those Oklahoma and Nebraska teams of old.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 Nov. 2025
The courtroom tussling has some juice this week.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Things got testy with the Mammoth jamming away at Korpisalo after the whistle and Nikita Zadorov took issue with it, tussling with Brandon Tanev.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 20 Oct. 2025
This could open up space for another Chelsea player to attack, but an arm in the air from the corner taker is usually a sign for Cucurella to trot back into the box, tussling with his defender and making a nuisance of himself on the way back.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
The unaccompanied minor change was made at least partially in response to a viral video that showed a group of teens tussling near a row of carnival games.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 5 Aug. 2025
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 16 Dec. 2025
The characters were distrustful of each other (because anybody could be the killer), and one of Warren’s favorite memories is the scene with her and Mull tussling to get out of a tight bar space at the same time.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
As a longtime Boulder resident, Dan used to climb the trees that were adjacent to Folsom in the ’70s to get a glimpse of CU tussling with those Oklahoma and Nebraska teams of old.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 Nov. 2025
The courtroom tussling has some juice this week.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Things got testy with the Mammoth jamming away at Korpisalo after the whistle and Nikita Zadorov took issue with it, tussling with Brandon Tanev.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 20 Oct. 2025
This could open up space for another Chelsea player to attack, but an arm in the air from the corner taker is usually a sign for Cucurella to trot back into the box, tussling with his defender and making a nuisance of himself on the way back.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
The unaccompanied minor change was made at least partially in response to a viral video that showed a group of teens tussling near a row of carnival games.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussling
Verb
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Although Carini is 27-1 this season, the loss came to Utah’s Ladd Holman (Juab High), 5-2, wrestling up at 190 pounds in the Reno Tournament of Champions in December.—
Steve Brand,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
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Twenty-somethings may also be wrestling with car debt and credit card debt.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Impressively, Newcastle have reached mid-January still fighting — and, in a roundabout way, even (arguably) thriving — on all four fronts, albeit in a non-linear and rarely convincing fashion.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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Candid figure on war, civil rights and religion Beyond the boxing ring, Ali was outspoken about his beliefs when many Black Americans were still fighting to be heard.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tussling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussling. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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