tug-of-war
noun
plural tugs-of-war
1
: a struggle for supremacy or control usually involving two antagonists
2
: a contest in which two teams pull against each other at opposite ends of a rope with the object of pulling the middle of the rope over a mark on the ground
Examples of tug-of-war in a Sentence
the effort to get their teenage son to keep his room clean is a constant tug-of-war
Recent Examples on the Web
Residents, city council members and the Church of Scientology have been locked in a tug-of-war over a portion of roadway in downtown Clearwater ever since city leaders voted in March to tentatively approve selling the land to the church.
—
Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 June 2025
The day of 19th-century-style outdoor recreation will feature a variety of traditional lawn games that once entertained early Californians, such as wheelbarrow races, sack races and tug-of-war.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
While Nintendo mostly conceded the corporate tug-of-war over graphical prowess back in 2006 with the Wii, the general plateau of visual enhancements over the last two generations means that games running on Switch 2 look pretty damned good even compared to more premium devices.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
Luigi is caught in a high-stakes game of tug-of-war between state and federal prosecutors, except the trophy is a young man's life.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 June 2025
The day of 19th-century-style outdoor recreation will feature a variety of traditional lawn games that once entertained early Californians, such as wheelbarrow races, sack races and tug-of-war.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
While Nintendo mostly conceded the corporate tug-of-war over graphical prowess back in 2006 with the Wii, the general plateau of visual enhancements over the last two generations means that games running on Switch 2 look pretty damned good even compared to more premium devices.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
Luigi is caught in a high-stakes game of tug-of-war between state and federal prosecutors, except the trophy is a young man's life.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tug-of-war. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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