as in clash
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a small tussle on the basketball court was quickly broken up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to wrestle
to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery
puppies tussling with one another, rolling over and over on the carpet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of tussle
Britt Clennett, ABC News, 7 July 2025
While the character brandishes a firearm and things eventually come to blows in physical tussles over the course of the volatile evening, Gallo's script never loses grip on the tender undercurrent of intimacy established back in Ponyboi's shower.
—EW.com, 27 June 2025
Yara Elshebiny, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
The two men tussle, and Rodney impressively holds his own against a much stronger opponent.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Noun
As the Dalai Lama turns 90, the Tibetan spiritual leader finds himself in a tussle with China over who will succeed him.
—Britt Clennett, ABC News, 7 July 2025
While the character brandishes a firearm and things eventually come to blows in physical tussles over the course of the volatile evening, Gallo's script never loses grip on the tender undercurrent of intimacy established back in Ponyboi's shower.
—EW.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
Norris had a rough start, dropping back to sixth on the first lap after going wide while tussling for the lead with Verstappen.
—Yara Elshebiny, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
The two men tussle, and Rodney impressively holds his own against a much stronger opponent.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussle
Noun
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Navarro and Griffin have long had tension on the air, including past eye-rolling and clashes.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
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The Thai Health Ministry said 15 civilians and one soldier had been killed and 46 civilians and 15 soldiers wounded in the clashes since Thursday.—
Shane Croucher
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
Verb
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The National Wrestling Hall of Fame is home to the largest collection of wrestling memorabilia in the world and has interactive exhibits documenting the history of the sport.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 July 2025
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Continue reading … ‘MY HERO’ – Hulk Hogan's son shares touching tribute following wrestling legend's death.—
,
FOXNews.com,
28 July 2025
Noun
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This is the third bench-clearing skirmish for the Angels this season, though none has resulted in ejections.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
30 July 2025
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That’s right, the first camp skirmish pitted a pair of rookies, tackle Josh Simmons and interior defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott, with Simmons appearing to land a right-handed blow to Norman-Lott’s helmet.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
29 July 2025
Verb
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Remember, strong relationships don’t mean never fighting.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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Unlike the Biden administration, Trump officials have not fought in the courts to preserve SAVE, and recently, Congress repealed the plan altogether.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Some have been centered around critical positional battles while others have been about player holdouts turning into player hold-ins.—
Kambui Bomani,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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There is a battle shaping up for the fourth safety spot between Jefferson, rookie RJ Mickens and Kendall Williamson.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
Noun
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More struggles result in prosperity Another fight would also call for Jones' leadership in action.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
24 July 2025
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As the citizens of the state struggle to seize power back from an autocratic government, the story centers on Jamil, a war zone courier/smuggler, and Zora, a young leader in the Mulholland Resistance, who attempt to escape Occupied Los Angeles, a city under martial law.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tussle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussle. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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