tussle 1 of 2

noun

ˈtə-səl How to pronounce tussle (audio)
Definition of tusslenext
as in clash
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups a small tussle on the basketball court was quickly broken up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tussle

2 of 2

verb

as in to wrestle
to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery puppies tussling with one another, rolling over and over on the carpet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tussle
Noun
There is a tussle over what seems to be the last remaining condom in the five boroughs. — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 There were interceptions, incompletions and a few tussles from cranky and competitive players on a hot and humid New England morning. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
Internal factions and neighboring countries continue to relentlessly tussle over the resources of the Kivus. — Ivan Buendia Gayton, STAT, 7 July 2026 Over the past month, the administration has tussled with Anthropic and OpenAI over releasing their latest models to the public. — Jared Perlo, NBC news, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tussle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussle
  1. clash
  2. wrestle
  3. skirmish
  4. fight
  5. battle
  6. scuffle
  7. struggle
Noun
  • Assertive Mars clashes with your ruler Saturn, highlighting tension around your home, family, or the amount of emotional labor each person carries.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The clash between Ossoff and Piker comes as members of the Jewish community in Atlanta have criticized the Jewish Democrat, largely over his votes to block certain arms sales to Israel.
    — Joseph Strauss, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of clash
Verb
  • But the Young Bucks have been a dominant force in tag team wrestling for years.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Hinduism itself has long wrestled with the question of how many gods there are, and different answers have been proposed throughout its history, but none of those answers necessarily invalidates the others.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrestle
Noun
  • There was a brief skirmish in the end zone after Howell's 2-point conversion run.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Its outcome will be a major milestone in the decades-long political skirmishes over CEQA.
    — Dan Walters, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of skirmish
Verb
  • Without a clear message from Warsh, investors began to doubt the Fed’s inflation-fighting resolve.
    — Brian Cheung, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Federal safety investigators urged automakers to give emergency responders better guides on how to fight lithium-ion battery fires.
    — Todd C. Frankel, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of fight
Noun
  • The only intrigue at offensive line was the backup center battle between Hudson and Patrick.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Naturally, with three more Salt Lake City wives at the Alter Ego Party, Gizelle is ready to further investigate why Lisa is in a battle with her whole cast.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of battle
Noun
  • During the scuffle, the mother alleged that Ruiz bit her forearm, leaving a mark, the warrant affidavit said.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The heated scuffle began after Miami’s Ian Fray tangled with Philadelphia’s Quinn Sullivan.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of scuffle
Noun
  • While Craig will get most of the attention, TCU’s revamped offensive line also had its struggles throughout the day.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Those struggles have become increasingly difficult for the Blue Jays to ignore as the season has progressed.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggle

Browse Nearby Words

tushes
tussle
tussled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tussle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussle. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All