tug-of-war
noun
plural tugs-of-war
1
: a struggle for supremacy or control usually involving two antagonists
2
: a contest in which two teams pull against each other at opposite ends of a rope with the object of pulling the middle of the rope over a mark on the ground
Synonyms
Examples of tug-of-war in a Sentence
the effort to get their teenage son to keep his room clean is a constant tug-of-war
Recent Examples on the Web
Schumer has put himself right in the middle of his caucus' tug-of-war over immigration.
—
Stephen Neukam, Axios, 23 Jan. 2025
TikTokers Reflected On The Legacy Of TikTok Despite being caught in the middle of a geopolitical tug-of-war, TikTok is beloved by many internet users, ever since the pandemic pushed millions of bored Americans to discover a new digital frontier.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
The Games also saw the debut of boxing and freestyle wrestling, sports that have clung to the Summer Olympics until the present day, along with long-since-forgotten croquet and tug-of-war events.
—Michael Casey, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
Throughout his term, Biden felt the tug-of-war between his White House inner circle and his family members.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tug-of-war 
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Stephen Neukam, Axios, 23 Jan. 2025
TikTokers Reflected On The Legacy Of TikTok Despite being caught in the middle of a geopolitical tug-of-war, TikTok is beloved by many internet users, ever since the pandemic pushed millions of bored Americans to discover a new digital frontier.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
The Games also saw the debut of boxing and freestyle wrestling, sports that have clung to the Summer Olympics until the present day, along with long-since-forgotten croquet and tug-of-war events.
—Michael Casey, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
Throughout his term, Biden felt the tug-of-war between his White House inner circle and his family members.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Dictionary Entries Near tug-of-war
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tug-of-war. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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