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
This simultaneously occurs with a Mercury-Pluto square, creating a tug-of-war between your self-expression and your sense of stability, or your romantic attractions and your core values.
—
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 May 2025
This tug-of-war to politically appropriate the pope was perhaps inevitable.
—Christopher Hale, Time, 9 May 2025
When the moon suffered from a tug-of-war between Earth and the sun, the melting would have caused lunar rocks and zircons to melt and reform, providing a younger age that doesn't necessarily reflect when the moon itself was born.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 8 May 2025
In the annual tug-of-war over public spending across the sprawling San Diego County bureaucracy, public safety and social services trumped land-use planning, the environment and capital projects by $180 million in a draft budget released Thursday.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 May 2025
This tug-of-war to politically appropriate the pope was perhaps inevitable.
—Christopher Hale, Time, 9 May 2025
When the moon suffered from a tug-of-war between Earth and the sun, the melting would have caused lunar rocks and zircons to melt and reform, providing a younger age that doesn't necessarily reflect when the moon itself was born.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 8 May 2025
In the annual tug-of-war over public spending across the sprawling San Diego County bureaucracy, public safety and social services trumped land-use planning, the environment and capital projects by $180 million in a draft budget released Thursday.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug-of-war
Noun
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This is also a historic rivalry, so that's why so many people are tuning in.—
Ryan Stano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
-
How can the club improve its image around the world, where international fans are less concerned with local rivalries?—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
Noun
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Recently, a German court quietly ended a landmark legal battle that had spanned nearly a decade.—
Monica Sanders,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
-
Fires and recovery Crews battle fire burning in Pala, evacuations underway in northern San Diego County.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
Noun
-
Barry Keoghan is sharing something deeply personal about his struggle with sobriety.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
-
The Duchess of Sussex launched her lifestyle brand, As ever, in March, and has discussed some of the struggles of starting a business on the podcast.—
Stephanie Petit,
People.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Few trans athletes have reached elite levels of sports competition and even fewer have taken home top prizes, but their limited success has fueled the growing movement to ban them from participating on teams consistent with their gender identity.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
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For Case, the Welsh race in mid-May was her first big competition since the summer of 2022: the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run in Colorado.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
30 May 2025
Noun
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The game had the look of a pitchers’ duel going into the ninth inning with first-place Philadelphia leading 1-0 thanks to a home run from Trea Turner leading off the game.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
24 May 2025
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May departed with the Dodgers trailing 1-0 and was initially in line to be the hard-luck loser of a pitchers’ duel with Burnes, but Hernandez changed that with one swing.—
Kyle Glaser,
Oc Register,
22 May 2025
Noun
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The exercises were designed, NATO said, to hone their skills, military capabilities and cooperation for extreme cold weather warfare.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
23 May 2025
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Anti-Israel forces have a long-running strategy called Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, which calls for governments, universities and corporations to engage in forms of economic warfare against Israel.—
Alma Hernandez,
Boston Herald,
22 May 2025
Noun
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On April 10, tariffs on nearly all Chinese imports, including fireworks, climbed as high as 145% as a tit-for-tat trade conflict between China and the United States escalated.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
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Instead of blaming or withdrawing, reconnect after hard moments and show your child that conflict doesn’t have to lead to shame or disconnection.—
Reem Raouda,
CNBC,
25 May 2025
Noun
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After the tense confrontation, the expecting mom went on to refer to the villain arc fans observed from Engemann during season 2 of the hit show.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
22 May 2025
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Manuel Vega Lopez, 51, died of gunshot wounds following a confrontation outside a Gilbert home shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday, May 19, police said in a news release.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug-of-war. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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