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
Neither youngster seemed to be winning their morning game of tug-of-war over an empty feed bag.
—
Bennet Goldstein, jsonline.com, 4 July 2025
Other storylines teased by the trailer include a crisis of faith for Layla and the continuing tug-of-war between Taylor and her ex, Dakota Mortensen.
—EW.com, 3 July 2025
Activities like tug-of-war or gentle chase games tap into your dog's natural instincts, such as hunting or grabbing.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
The Golden State’s tug-of-war between environmental advocacy and a worsening housing crisis came to a head Monday evening when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law two bills that will overhaul the landmark California Environmental Quality Act in an effort to ease new construction in the state.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Bennet Goldstein, jsonline.com, 4 July 2025
Other storylines teased by the trailer include a crisis of faith for Layla and the continuing tug-of-war between Taylor and her ex, Dakota Mortensen.
—EW.com, 3 July 2025
Activities like tug-of-war or gentle chase games tap into your dog's natural instincts, such as hunting or grabbing.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
The Golden State’s tug-of-war between environmental advocacy and a worsening housing crisis came to a head Monday evening when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law two bills that will overhaul the landmark California Environmental Quality Act in an effort to ease new construction in the state.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tug-of-war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tug-of-war
Noun
-
There’s been a lot of change in college football in recent years, but rivalries still form the foundation of the sport for so many fans.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
-
Adding an element of controversy to what’s been an unusually friendly title rivalry, Piastri even suggested that if McLaren thought the call was unfair, the team could ask him and Norris to swap places to cancel the effect of the penalty.—
James Ellingworth,
Denver Post,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
His 2014 film The Grave tells the story of a man who hears about the discovery of a mass grave and escapes from a nursing home to confront his past on the site of the Battle of the Ebro, the longest and largest battle of the Spanish Civil War.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
7 July 2025
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The battle will continue as Trump has blasted the mainstream media for years and signed an executive order to cut federal funding for National Public Radio and PBS, said U.S. Rep. John B. Larson of East Hartford.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Rivera fired his Taser at Feliz, then got into the car on the passenger’s side and threatened to shoot Rivera as a physical struggle ensued, according to body camera footage, as another officer attempted to yank Feliz out of the vehicle.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
11 July 2025
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Garcia then acknowledged the 15-time major winner's current health struggles.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Their manager, Sarina Wiegman, has an extraordinary record in this competition, having won it with both the Netherlands and England.—
Darren Richman,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
-
In Squid Game, Lee portrays Gyeong-seok (Player 246), a devoted father who joins the brutal competition to protect his family at all costs.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
Junk and Baltimore starter Trevor Rogers engaged in a pitchers’ duel into the seventh inning.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
12 July 2025
-
What looked like a classic pitchers’ duel before the game took some twists and turns on Friday, with one ace looking rock-solid, but losing, and another ace struggling early, but winning.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
12 July 2025
Noun
-
When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
9 July 2025
-
It is crewed by more than 30 people, including electronic warfare officers and intelligence operators, according to the Air Force.—
Ellie Cook
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
There have been conflicts between rideshare drivers and taxis in the past, so consider sticking with a reputable taxi or car service, However, the more adventurous can rent a car to explore nearby cenotes, ruins, and regional highlights.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
12 July 2025
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The deportations – part of a program Iran announced in March – have radically increased in pace since the 12-day conflict with Israel, fueled by unsubstantiated claims that Afghans had spied for Israel prior to and during the attacks.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
The incident is one of the latest in a growing series of confrontations with federal immigration officers.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
-
That ultimately led to a verbal confrontation between Morrow, 47, and Steve Raleigh.—
Kevin Grasha,
The Enquirer,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tug-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tug-of-war. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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