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
The fair, which has a Woodstock-like feel to it, also hosts kid-friendly fun including three-legged races, water balloon basketball, tug-of-war, a DIY Memorial Day parade and more.
—
Holly Alvarado, Oc Register, 22 May 2025
For much of its second act, the movie plays like a tug-of-war between the virtuosic dynamism of Lapid’s filmmaking and the sobering reality of the humanitarian crisis at hand.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
That included MrBeast, who appeared with Mohan on stage to note how his entertainment empire owes its existence to YouTube, and later led a tug-of-war competition between five members of the crowd and former NFL stars Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
Despite the ongoing tug-of-war, none regret embracing motherhood.
—Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Holly Alvarado, Oc Register, 22 May 2025
For much of its second act, the movie plays like a tug-of-war between the virtuosic dynamism of Lapid’s filmmaking and the sobering reality of the humanitarian crisis at hand.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
That included MrBeast, who appeared with Mohan on stage to note how his entertainment empire owes its existence to YouTube, and later led a tug-of-war competition between five members of the crowd and former NFL stars Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
Despite the ongoing tug-of-war, none regret embracing motherhood.
—Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 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 10 Jun. 2025.
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