as in clash
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 to wrestle
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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of tussle
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
The tussle on the Milwaukee-to-Dallas-Fort Worth flight is the latest example of apparent air passenger misbehavior – a problem that’s worsened for airlines since before the pandemic, with at least 1,854 incidents reported this year to the Federal Aviation Administration.
—Graham Hurley, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Fiennes and Berger tussled briefly over Cardinal Lawrence’s costume after Fiennes met with the British cardinal.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tussle 
Noun
Eventually, Benji dunks Tom’s head into the cake, which is very much warranted, and the two get into a tussle the only way brothers can: very poorly!
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
The tussle on the Milwaukee-to-Dallas-Fort Worth flight is the latest example of apparent air passenger misbehavior – a problem that’s worsened for airlines since before the pandemic, with at least 1,854 incidents reported this year to the Federal Aviation Administration.
—Graham Hurley, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
Indeed, Americans have been tussling over the time warp for well over a century now.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Fiennes and Berger tussled briefly over Cardinal Lawrence’s costume after Fiennes met with the British cardinal.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tussle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussle
Noun
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At times, Zayn vs. McIntyre looked like it would be set for a major pay-per-view, perhaps at an event like SummerSlam, and though that never materialized, Saturday Night’s Main Event was the perfect stage for their clash.Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
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The Cricket Celebration Bowl is here, bringing a heavyweight clash between two red-hot teams.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Ask someone who’s ever had to wrestle with a punchy patient (or a patient’s family member) in a hospital room.Chris Westfall, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
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One wishes that the brothers were given more screen time to wrestle with how their respective political leanings challenge and change their relationship.Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The skirmish ended with engineers blowing up a bridge the two Russian assault groups had used to approach Pokrovsk.David Axe, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
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Peterson referenced the skirmishes and fights at several NCAA football games on Saturday.Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Duda fled Ukraine into Romania to avoid being drafted to fight in the Ukrainian war.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
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In recent weeks, while fighting abated on one front after Israel reached a ceasefire with Hamas’ Lebanese ally Hezbollah, members of Netanyahu’s cabinet, including his justice and police ministers, have clashed with the judiciary.Reuters, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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What was expected to be an epic battle for the ages between big-market clubs such as the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Mets is finally over.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Creating great content is only half the battle—activation is key.Yogesh Shah, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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One of the officers was shocked during the struggle, too.Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 13 Dec. 2024
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Throughout the meeting, hotel and airport workers described their struggle to pay for child care, housing and meals.David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near tussle
Cite this Entry
“Tussle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussle. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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