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
Synonyms
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
Blake’s inner turmoil is reflected in the film’s (lack of) tension between intergenerational trauma and cheap suspense, which is less a tug-of-war than an unconditional surrender.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 Jan. 2025
While international law recognizes no national sovereignty in international waters, that has done little to end the diplomatic tug-of-war over the pole.
—Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2025
Now, when Venus in Pisces squares Jupiter retrograde in Gemini, this Mutable synergy creates tension that can feel like a tug-of-war between desire and logic, your ideal scenario and the actual facts surrounding a situation.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 14 Jan. 2025
Why Americans Are Accepting Lower Salaries By Giulia Carbonaro
US News Reporter
1
The end of the pandemic has sparked a tug-of-war between employers summoning their employees back to the office and workers wishing to hold on to remote and hybrid work options.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tug-of-war 
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David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 Jan. 2025
While international law recognizes no national sovereignty in international waters, that has done little to end the diplomatic tug-of-war over the pole.
—Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2025
Now, when Venus in Pisces squares Jupiter retrograde in Gemini, this Mutable synergy creates tension that can feel like a tug-of-war between desire and logic, your ideal scenario and the actual facts surrounding a situation.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 14 Jan. 2025
Why Americans Are Accepting Lower Salaries By Giulia Carbonaro
US News Reporter
1
The end of the pandemic has sparked a tug-of-war between employers summoning their employees back to the office and workers wishing to hold on to remote and hybrid work options.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Dictionary Entries Near 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 22 Jan. 2025.
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