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
The competitive section contains 26 events across nine disciplines, including athletics, football, gymnastics, weightlifting, martial arts, dance competitions, tug-of-war, and pitch-pot, a traditional Chinese precision game.
—
Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
The ensuing tug-of-war is driven by Karl’s second wife, Mallory (Jessy Hodges), another story accelerant in the guise of a person.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 20 May 2026
Interview with James Talarico The 10 or so months between the announcement of Colbert's cancellation and the actual finale have been a fascinating game of tug-of-war between the comedian and the higher powers at CBS.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 20 May 2026
But the friction surrounding global fashion extends beyond a geopolitical tug-of-war over corporate ownership.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
The ensuing tug-of-war is driven by Karl’s second wife, Mallory (Jessy Hodges), another story accelerant in the guise of a person.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 20 May 2026
Interview with James Talarico The 10 or so months between the announcement of Colbert's cancellation and the actual finale have been a fascinating game of tug-of-war between the comedian and the higher powers at CBS.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 20 May 2026
But the friction surrounding global fashion extends beyond a geopolitical tug-of-war over corporate ownership.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
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 28 May. 2026.
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