tussle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
tussles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
tussled,
past participle, past
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tussling
present participle
noun
-
a rough physical contest or struggle; scuffle.
-
any vigorous or determined struggle, conflict, etc..
I had quite a tussle with that chemistry exam.
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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tusslesimple
-
tusslessimple
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have tussledperfect
-
has tussledperfect
-
am tusslingprogressive
-
are tusslingprogressive
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is tusslingprogressive
-
have been tusslingperfect progressive
-
has been tusslingperfect progressive
Past
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tussledsimple
-
had tussledperfect
-
was tusslingprogressive
-
were tusslingprogressive
-
had been tusslingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tussle
1425–75; late Middle English (north and Scots ) tusillen, derivative ( see -le) of tusen to touse
Explanation
A tussle is a rowdy fight. If the rambunctious kids you're babysitting get into a tussle, you may have to separate them for a while and calm them down. Though a tussle is often a physical fight, it's rarely a serious one. Two wrestling dogs, a couple of scuffling teenagers — these are examples of tussles. The word tussle is Scottish, a variant of touselen, which is related to tousle, or "dishevel or muss," which you might do to a little kid's hair. The root of both is the Old English tousen, "handle or push about roughly."
Vocabulary lists containing tussle
Freak the Mighty
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Hoot
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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.
See Examples For:
Having been subjected to multiple FCC probes of ABC’s programming, the corporation has pushed back in court against Carr, in what has already amounted to a drawn-out and expensive legal tussle.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
Firms now regularly pay first-year associates salaries of $250,000, up from $190,000 in 2018, in the tussle for the best talent straight out of law school.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
The announcement kicked off a chaotic tussle over the funds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
The settlement announced Thursday brings to a close a two-year legal tussle between the family of Jason Maccani and the city’s lawyers over his 2024 death.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Jones, who was only thirteen and weighed little more than eighty pounds, quickly found himself on the losing end of the tussle.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Direct control of the Bronx building, a Success Academy first, means no political tussles over repairs or storage space.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Before Robby and Al-Hashimi engage in any real ideological tussles, though, she commits the cardinal sin of suggesting they change the trauma center’s nickname to something else.
From Salon ● Jan. 8, 2026
High on the to-do list will be ensuring the economy is ready for another round of tussles with the U.S., as signaled by the emphasis Chinese leaders have placed on reducing reliance on foreign technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 9, 2025
Only Nkunku and Moises Caicedo – both of whom were on the pitch a lot longer – registered more duels overall, with only Marc Cucurella and Trevoh Chalobah taking part in as many aerial tussles.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2025
Campion and Chervil were kept busy taking out endurance patrols, and tussles and training fights were organized at morning silflay.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
In 2025, the US president went as far as visiting the Fed's under-renovation headquarters, where he verbally tussled with Powell as the two toured the site.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
Cuomo and Mamdani tussled when they were asked how they would stop the growing number of New York City school students who are homeless.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025
As the Soviet Union and the US tussled over the Korean peninsula, they agreed to to divide it.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2025
On Friday night, reports emerged that Elon Musk’s aides had tussled with Office of Personnel Management and Treasury staffers while demanding access to troves of information about federal employees.
From Slate ● Feb. 3, 2025
A breeze tussled through the trees, sending poplar leaves spinning like golden coins down onto the rutted dirt road.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
To wrap the Pont Neuf, he spent $2.5 million of his own money and some 10 years tussling with bureaucrats and politicians before securing the approval of President Francois Mitterrand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
His attentiveness will be closely watched in the Maduro case, as tussling between the defense and prosecution has already threatened to draw out proceedings.
From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026
Defenders are grappling with attackers, and attackers are tussling with defenders.
From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026
"We fought each other, wrestling and tussling," she said.
From BBC ● May 14, 2025
All was quiet, but as they paused at the top of the bank, a tussling pack of six or seven sparrows flew down to the line and began to peck about between the sleepers.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
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