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
Reagan wanted to play tug-of-war but knew to be careful with the baby.
—
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
However, most of us don’t endorse these as our own personal values, leaving us constantly feeling caught in a tug-of-war between what we’re told to do and what really matters to us.
—Stephanie Harrison, Contributor, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2025
The debate reflects a tug-of-war between the new law that was sought by conservatives last year and the state's long history of letting teens decide their own mental and reproductive health care.
—Melissa Santos, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Even when he’s engulfed by neo-Nazi demonstrations, Talwar wants nothing more than to belong — a nerve-racking ethical tug-of-war that introduces a sense of danger.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
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Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
However, most of us don’t endorse these as our own personal values, leaving us constantly feeling caught in a tug-of-war between what we’re told to do and what really matters to us.
—Stephanie Harrison, Contributor, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2025
The debate reflects a tug-of-war between the new law that was sought by conservatives last year and the state's long history of letting teens decide their own mental and reproductive health care.
—Melissa Santos, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Even when he’s engulfed by neo-Nazi demonstrations, Talwar wants nothing more than to belong — a nerve-racking ethical tug-of-war that introduces a sense of danger.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 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 12 Mar. 2025.
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