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.

The tug of war between a sound market backdrop and rising external risks is likely to continue, with offsetting pressures potentially holding back broader index gains into the coming weeks.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

And, along the way, influence a geopolitical tug of war involving a huge U.S.-U.K. military base.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 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

But it's not just about a diplomatic tug of war.

From BBC • Nov. 23, 2025

After quite a struggle and a tug of war with a balky zipper, we finally got the suits on, and our helmets and gloves locked in place.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins