tug of war

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Prediction-market operators have been in the middle of a tug of war between state and federal regulators.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

The server maker looks to be in a tug of war between those betting it can recover from one of its co-founders being indicted for alleged export-control violations and those who fear more repercussions.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

It took a messy tug of war with RCR in the middle of the following season to secure his services for 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

U.S. stocks closed mixed on Thursday after a wild day on Wall Street in which metals surged, the price of oil spiked and a tug of war erupted in equities.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026

Parthia and Rome had been engaged in a tug of war for decades as provinces along the eastern border of Rome’s territory changed hands and shifted loyalties.

From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby