TUSSLES Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

tussles 1 of 2

noun

plural of tussle

as in skirmishes

a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups a small tussle on the basketball court was quickly broken up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

truces

tussles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of tussle

as in wrestles

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 tussles

Noun

That movie’s absurdities didn’t occur onscreen but in the subsequent legal tussles between its star, Blake Lively, and its director and co-star, Justin Baldoni. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026 On Day 7, upsets and tussles, a huge deficit in the draws and a college tennis honor. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026 The Coastal Commission signed off on the project a few years ago, after tussles over low-cost housing provisions during the course of erecting yet another luxury hotel. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 In the 1997 film, the title character (Brendan Fraser) tussles with the beast before rescuing Ursula (Mann). — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026 There haven’t been any tussles so far in this year’s sessions, but camp is young, and the pads come on Monday. — Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026 As his tussles with grief and sobriety and heartbreak appear in flashes, so do red and blue police lights. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026 The legal tussles boil down to whether the federal government or the states have primary authority to oversee prediction markets, which allow users to bet on the outcome of sports, elections and many other events. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 24 June 2026 That Jonas is, himself, a former boy band star who has at times gone it alone, lends the movie a direct connection to contemporary music, where tussles over authorship are increasingly common. — ABC News, 3 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussles

Noun

This leads to even more behind-the-scenes skirmishes laced with character-centric comedy, as opposing factions align.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Ties between the two countries remain strained over their long-running Himalayan border dispute, which erupted into a deadly skirmishes in 2020 that saw soldiers from both sides use rocks and iron rods in brutal hand-to-hand combat.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of skirmishes

Verb

Each also wrestles with the devastated idealism of our times.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Tallinn’s Critics’ Picks strand spotlights films with a clear artistic point of view and a fresh take on storytelling, including work that wrestles with genre, cinema’s past and the social issues of the moment.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of wrestles

Noun

Likewise, the student protests over the weekend expanded from education to other grievances — and featured dramatic scenes of looting and clashes with police.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
The unrest, fueled by anger over living costs and poor school conditions, included arson, clashes with police and looting; officials say curfews will continue where needed.

— Tom Nouvian, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of clashes

Verb

Thomas superspeeds Katerina to safety and Vision fights Butcherbird, but Butcherbird is faster and stronger.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Water shortages do not often get attention from state lawmakers, and fights over resources can pit rural landowners against cities.

— Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of fights

Noun

Known for risque stand-up comedy routines and battles with drugs and alcohol, Brand rose to prominence in the early 2000s, hosting television programs and his own BBC radio show.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Use it for dry skin, dry lips, dry cuticles, scars from cabaret battles.

— Lindy Segal, Glamour, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of battles

Browse Nearby Words

tussled

tussles

tussling

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Style

“Tussles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussles. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tussles

noun

verb

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