tug of war
A dispute between two parties, particularly an entrenched, back-and-forth dispute.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The siblings are in a tug of war over the family house.”
“The two departments are in a constant tug of war for the limited budget.”
“For decades, the city council and local residents have been locked in a bitter tug of war over whether to demolish the historic market or preserve it.”
- 01
pissing war
An immature dispute over some trivial matter.
- 02
tug one's forelock
To show deference or obsequious respect.
- 03
turf war
A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.
- 04
war bride
A company or individual whose business is increased by warfare.
- 05
war of nerves
Warfare characterized by psychological manipulation, involving tactics intended to demoralize, frighten, and unnerve opponents in order to prompt surrender.
- 06
war of words
A heated exchange of threatening or inflammatory statements.
- 07
win the battle, but lose the war
To achieve a portion of a goal, but fail to achieve the entire goal.
Last updated August 10, 2026