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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tug-of-war
As the price of a carton continues to soar, interest in egg substitutes has also never been higher as folks everywhere continue to grapple with a grocery tug-of-war: to shell out (sorry) a whole bunch of cash for your regular food order, or to find something else to fill that eggy void.
—
Audrey Bruno, SELF, 20 Feb. 2025
Having a conversation without a clear objective is like a verbal tug-of-war.
—Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
The production made news last week when producers disclosed that the show’s title on the marquee would not be lit in time for the first performance, and possibly until next month, due to the LED bulbs being stuck in China, a victim of the Trump-China tariff tug-of-war.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025
Greenland is in footballing Siberia, so to speak, and geopolitically it has been thrust into a bizarre tug-of-war between the United States and Greenland’s government.
—Felipe Cardenas, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Audrey Bruno, SELF, 20 Feb. 2025
Having a conversation without a clear objective is like a verbal tug-of-war.
—Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
The production made news last week when producers disclosed that the show’s title on the marquee would not be lit in time for the first performance, and possibly until next month, due to the LED bulbs being stuck in China, a victim of the Trump-China tariff tug-of-war.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025
Greenland is in footballing Siberia, so to speak, and geopolitically it has been thrust into a bizarre tug-of-war between the United States and Greenland’s government.
—Felipe Cardenas, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug-of-war
Noun
-
Both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are off the injury report for this game, giving themselves the green light for this rivalry game.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Even today, gangsta and drill rappers make headlines right here in Chicago when their music explodes into rivalries and retaliatory murders.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Just last month at the NFL Scouting Combine, GM Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales stressed the importance of battle in the trenches.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2025
-
After routing 5-seed Villanova 82-54 in the semifinals on Sunday, the Huskies advance to face No. 23 Creighton for a battle between the top two seeds in the conference title game.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
At that point, Zelenskyy interjected, bringing up the struggles his country has faced over the last decade, prompting Vance and Trump to shout at the Ukrainian president.—
Molly Nagle,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2025
-
What To Know The pope has faced ongoing health struggles which have sparked speculation about decisions by the Catholic Church on the upcoming Easter celebrations.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
For the final 45 minutes, a group of six Benedictine male athletes joined to give the Eagles some outside competition.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2025
-
Schools that get the lion’s share of their revenue from tuition are more vulnerable to enrollment declines and price competition.—
Emma Whitford,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Another ancestor had been on the Hudson River, in 1804, when Alexander Hamilton was being rowed back to Manhattan after his duel with Aaron Burr.—
Ian Frazier,
The New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Just 26, Cindric won the second Daytona duel Thursday night in a photo finish and will sit on the front row to start Sunday’s race.—
Edgar Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Considered an unsung hero of modern warfare, Selanee saved the lives of two U.S. journalists and shielded hundreds of Afghans stranded at Kandahar Air Base.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
28 Feb. 2025
-
What To Know There have been tensions over NATO accusing Russia of sabotaging vessels in the Baltic Sea and claims of hybrid warfare around what is dubbed the NATO Lake as the alliance's members move to combat Moscow's belligerence in the region.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The meeting touched on the need to strengthen Ukraine and European defense, after Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clashed at the White House on Feb. 28 over differing views on how to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.—
Amala Balakrishner,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2025
-
The mineral rights agreement is a fantastic solution to bring about an end to this conflict.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
During the race, a confrontation erupted between Sheldon Creed and Jesse Love.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Whether through an in-ring appearance or a post-match confrontation, her involvement could set up a major WrestleMania feud, particularly within the women’s division.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug-of-war. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share