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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tug-of-war
Classical Rudersdal, Denmark, situated beside Copenhagen and along the open coast, exists in a perpetual tug-of-war between the rustic and the modern.
—
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2025
There is no political tug-of-war between the DA and the Governor.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025
No courtroom tug-of-war over who gets the dog or the air fryer.
—Ruhama Wolle, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
Typically, car dealers roll out incentives in anticipation of American tax returns during the second quarter, but this year dealers and consumers are in a tug-of-war that consists of the former looking to offload inventory and the latter looking for attractive deals.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2025
There is no political tug-of-war between the DA and the Governor.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025
No courtroom tug-of-war over who gets the dog or the air fryer.
—Ruhama Wolle, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
Typically, car dealers roll out incentives in anticipation of American tax returns during the second quarter, but this year dealers and consumers are in a tug-of-war that consists of the former looking to offload inventory and the latter looking for attractive deals.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug-of-war
Noun
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Orlando City and Atlanta United will meet on Saturday in a fierce rivalry MLS matchup, a game soccer fans in the U.S. won't want to miss.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Apr. 2025
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Her Wings jersey is already generating significant sales, suggesting the potential for an ongoing rivalry with Clark not just on the court but in the merchandise marketplace as well.—
Lindsey Darvin,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In short, Saturday's clash will bring to a head a battle between two families, two fighters caught in a war started by their fathers, and Eubank won't even have his by his side as they are still estranged.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Lorna Romero Ferguson, a Republican political strategist based in Arizona, told the Washington Examiner that both parties are still going to have to battle over redistricting efforts and keep extremist candidates from the ballot box to stay competitive after the 2030 census.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Young’s struggles against the Heat continued early in Friday’s contest, scoring 14 points while shooting just 3 of 14 from the field and 1 of 5 on threes through the first three quarters.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2025
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Keith and Mark Newhouse of Newhouse Creative Group understand these struggles firsthand.—
Chris Gallagher,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This year, there's little other competition for NFL-ready quarterbacks.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The next generation of engineers, programmers and innovators is competing in robotics competitions today.—
Dan Mantz,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The show is partially set before the events of Revenge of the Sith, which ends with Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader after being severely injured in a lightsaber duel with Obi-Wan.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
19 Apr. 2025
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The 36-year-old deGrom, who also remains in that conversation even on the backside of his career, was almost as good in Friday’s pitcher’s duel.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Russia is very adept at what is known as hybrid warfare, a term that broadly refers to tactics designed to undermine or destabilize opponents, but falling short of open conflict.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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So ingrained is the fixation with speed that generations of U.S. military commanders have learned to shudder at the mention of attritional warfare, embracing decisive maneuver as the route to quick victories.—
Lawrence D. Freedman,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The pope's Easter message included a call for an end to conflicts in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.—
Phoebe Natanson,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2025
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There are volunteer opportunities, a teen club, and during the current conflict, the Hesed has become a hub for delivering tons of humanitarian aid, trauma care, and kinship.—
Maria Zimina,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The confrontation stopped and restarted as the man appeared to try to get the knife away from Perez over the fence.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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During the confrontation, the two men were shot, and both died on scene, officers said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug-of-war. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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