as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the effort to get their teenage son to keep his room clean is a constant tug-of-war
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Recent Examples of tug-of-war
There was also a famed giant tug-of-war between South Austin and North Austin across Town Lake.
—
Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 19 Jan. 2026
These images revealed this vast black hole jet is in a tug-of-war for dominance with the gravitational force of the rest of the galaxy.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 Jan. 2026
In this case, the influence of four planets in Capricorn, opposing Jupiter retrograde in Cancer, creates a tug-of-war between ambition (Capricorn) and emotion (Cancer), amplifying pressure, urgency and the feeling that something’s got to give.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Amazon Prime’s The Girlfriend, about Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke engaging in a high-stakes tug-of-war between a mother and her son’s girlfriend, would have been an incredibly tacky old-timey Globes pick.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 19 Jan. 2026
These images revealed this vast black hole jet is in a tug-of-war for dominance with the gravitational force of the rest of the galaxy.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 Jan. 2026
In this case, the influence of four planets in Capricorn, opposing Jupiter retrograde in Cancer, creates a tug-of-war between ambition (Capricorn) and emotion (Cancer), amplifying pressure, urgency and the feeling that something’s got to give.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Amazon Prime’s The Girlfriend, about Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke engaging in a high-stakes tug-of-war between a mother and her son’s girlfriend, would have been an incredibly tacky old-timey Globes pick.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug-of-war
Noun
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While Finland and Sweden may not have enjoyed quite the same level of Olympic success in women’s hockey as the US and Canada, the rivalry between the two Nordic countries is nonetheless a fiery one.—
Hannah Ryan,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The epic race between Stolz and de Boo is the latest in their budding rivalry.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The star of the cache was a near-complete Iron Age battle trumpet, or carnyx — used to blare eerie sounds in battle and rally troops against the enemy.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Alain Hamel is credited with catching the giant flatfish, which was pulled through the ice after a two-and-a-half hour battle.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
If Grosz’s first book, The Examined Life, was all about his patients’ personal lives and struggles, Love’s Labor—which is written in a similar way, as a series of case studies—is much more interested in his patients’ approach to love, specifically.—
Daisy Jones,
Vogue,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Continue reading … ROYAL RECKONING – Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie struggle with fallout from latest Epstein doc drop.—
,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Khelif has appealed the new policy that will keep the athlete out of any competitions pending the results of genetic testing.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
During the second annual competition in October, the team from La Marmotte restaurant, also located downtown, won with a concoction of Nikka Vodka, Luxardo Espresso liqueur, Irish cream, and Count Chocula and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereals.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In a duel of the top two teams in the West Coast Conference standings, Gonzaga (25-2, 13-1 WCC) spoiled the Broncos’ best start to a season since 1969-70.—
Jeff Faraudo,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
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Edgecombe hit three 3-pointers during his scoring barrage in the first semifinal to win his duel with Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, who scored just four points.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The film delves into the fragility of the human mind, the dangers of AI warfare, and the indomitable spirit required to confront terror in an increasingly digital world.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
-
This is information warfare on the cheap.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Warren saw that the conflict in the region between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo Liberation Army left local children with little to do.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Many local police departments began to rethink their approach to the weapons following violent confrontations with protesters over the 2020 police killing of George Floyd.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
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What was once a forum for engaged — sometimes heated — debate has, critics argue, become a stage for viral confrontation.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug-of-war. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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