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
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
As this tug-of-war has played out in press releases and conference calls and Securities and Exchange Commission filings, WBD shares have soared more than 170% this year, albeit shares were at a low ebb, having traded under $10 for most of 2024.
—
Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 31 Dec. 2025
The corporate tug-of-war may drag on for months.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025
How to unsnarl the emotions that play tug-of-war with our souls?
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025
So what do drivers actually want in this tug-of-war between cheap trucks and climate rules?
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 31 Dec. 2025
The corporate tug-of-war may drag on for months.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025
How to unsnarl the emotions that play tug-of-war with our souls?
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025
So what do drivers actually want in this tug-of-war between cheap trucks and climate rules?
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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 4 Jan. 2026.
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