How to Use tug-of-war in a Sentence

tug-of-war

noun
  • Each song feels like a tug-of-war between the brain and the body, grief and glee.
    Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024
  • The world that was in the palm of his hand was in a tug-of-war with the world on his shoulders.
    Thomas Lennon, Variety, 31 Oct. 2023
  • Wilson was in a tug-of-war with an ancient predator, and his arm was the rope.
    Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2024
  • The brain’s stress network operates like a game of tug-of-war.
    Haley Weiss, Time, 13 June 2023
  • But the tug-of-war between GaN and SiC is just beginning.
    IEEE Spectrum, 26 Mar. 2023
  • Gingerbread is known to enjoy the games of Frisbee, tug-of-war and fetch.
    Teryn Jones and, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
  • Play non-aggressive games such as fetch rather than tug-of-war.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 12 Apr. 2024
  • The result is a kind of tug-of-war between two of the economy’s main pillars.
    Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023
  • If there isn't tug-of-war at a sample sale, or a months-long research dive, does the piece still feel worthwhile?
    Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, 28 July 2023
  • Still, the tug-of-war marks something of a shift in how the internet understands the value of trends.
    Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 30 Aug. 2024
  • The tug-of-war between Toyota and Ferrari showed no signs of letting up.
    Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 12 June 2023
  • Who remembers that tug-of-war, rope climb and live pigeon shooting were once part of the Games?
    David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024
  • Players compete in a tug-of-war skills challenge event.
    Ben Morse, CNN, 5 Feb. 2024
  • In fact, Io’s entire core is heated by this cosmic tug-of-war.
    Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024
  • Now, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has found himself at the center of that tug-of-war.
    Silvia Foster-Frau, Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2023
  • Soon, promoters added drag races, small jumps, and gimmicks like tug-of-war.
    Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
  • The middle schoolers then learned about the pulleys used for tree climbing by playing a game of tug-of-war.
    Emily Sohn, Outside Online, 14 Mar. 2023
  • Trying to play tug-of-war with the rip and swimming straight to shore will only tire a swimmer out and increase the chance of drowning.
    Cara Korte, CBS News, 6 June 2023
  • In the photo above, Thomas can be seen in a white polo shirt alongside Crow, playing a game that appears to be tug-of-war.
    Chronicle Staff, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Apr. 2023
  • The thing is, the moose is heavy—even more so now that its fur is bogged down by water—and their best effort of tug-of-war with the animal is in vain.
    Radhika Menon, ELLE, 15 Apr. 2023
  • The tug-of-war lasted for a short while before Courtright managed to muscle the fish up beside his boat.
    Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 30 May 2024
  • There’s also often a tug-of-war between parents and teens.
    Sarah Vanbuskirk, Parents, 26 June 2024
  • Jonathan Macey, a professor at Yale Law School, said this divide helps explain the tug-of-war in the marketplace.
    Matt Egan, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
  • Eventually, though, Rodgers won this tug-of-war and McCarthy was canned.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
  • Zurawski told senators that she and others have been caught in the middle of the legal tug-of-war.
    Todd J. Gillman, Dallas News, 26 Apr. 2023
  • Said drawers are designed to open and close smoothly, so don’t worry about playing tug-of-war.
    Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Nov. 2023
  • Every nucleus lives in a tense tug-of-war between two of nature’s forces.
    Quanta Magazine, 4 Sep. 2024
  • The Pisces moon playing tug-of-war with Mercury retrograde can mix up messages.
    USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2023
  • With the kickoff temperature at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the first half was a defensive tug-of-war between both teams.
    Jacob Lev, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
  • Well, not actually tussling in a War of the Roses way; more an amiable tug-of-war on the village green before bonding over a few local ales.
    Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Nov. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tug-of-war.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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