as in rivalries
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 tugs-of-war
This climactic collision is woven from several minor ethical tugs-of-war that rest on each character exhibiting both selfishness and altruism in various scenes, until their complicated humanity is placed under a harsh spotlight.
—
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
Youssef has a history of intense and high-profile tugs-of-war with Egypt’s authoritarian regimes, the most recent of which has been in power since 2014.
—Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
Youssef has a history of intense and high-profile tugs-of-war with Egypt’s authoritarian regimes, the most recent of which has been in power since 2014.
—Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tugs-of-war
Noun
-
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova had one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history, and now the pair are opening up about the friendship that followed off the court in a new documentary that revisits their years at the top of women's tennis.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
-
By 1735, rowdy games of foot-ball were already associated with political rivalries in Boston.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Despite the scale of the war at hand, which involves aerial battles between dragon riders as well as giant troops of warriors on land and sea, much of the action Rhaenyra has been involved in is interpersonal — at least so far.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
-
The first 45 minutes were something of a slog as both teams failed to capitalize on any great opportunities and spent much of their time in battles at the midfield.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Ten years after the shooting, survivors who spoke to CNN detailed their complicated – and still unfolding – recoveries, as well as their struggles with the guilt of living through the attack that took the lives of lovers, relatives and close friends.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
-
But behind those struggles lies a system under strain, where staffing shortages, thin provider margins, low worker pay and rapid regional growth have created pressure at nearly every level.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Haddad said the qualification offers an opportunity for the world to see a different side of Jordan, a nation often overshadowed by regional conflicts.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
In other words, the current combination of US political tensions and global conflicts are driving more US nationals to seek new options overseas.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
The 23-year-old Spaniard leads City in both tackles won and defensive duels, relying on anticipation more than aggression to do so.—
Sukhman Singh,
New York Times,
19 Nov. 2025
-
Sneaker, which had a win and a second earlier this year in two previous duels with Grand Slam Smile, finished last in her first race on the dirt.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The most dramatic confrontations took place this past winter in Minneapolis, but in the months since the federal government ended its occupation of that city, resistance has continued.—
M. Gessen,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
-
The two sides have taken to sharing videos and photos of their confrontations at sea, which have at times turned violent.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Incredibly, Gasperini’s team has won four and lost six by that scoreline across all competitions this season, a reflection of its respective strengths at either end of the pitch.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
-
As with Chu and Ouellette, the two played against each other several times atthe Olympics and other international competitions.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
After years of criticism of him, of contempt toward him, of wars with him, Dolan won.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
The chatter in Congress appeared to lead the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, which regulates prediction markets, to propose a new framework last week to govern issues raised by lawmakers, such as potential betting on wars.—
Justine McDaniel,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tugs-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tugs-of-war. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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