High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Tug of war, also known as tug o` war, tug war, rope war or rope pulling, is a sport that directly pits two teams against each other in a test of strength. The term may also be used as a metaphor to describe a demonstration of brute strength by two opposing groups, such as a rivalry between two departments of a company. In this scenario, there is often a third party who is considered the "rope" in the tug of war.