Tussle/ˈtʌsl/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Physical Confrontation Often implies a shoving or wrestling match without serious harm. The siblings had a tussle over the remote. Pro Tip 2/3Informal Context Mainly used in casual or informal situations, not in formal texts. During the match, a small tussle broke out, but it was quickly resolved. Pro Tip 3/3Not a Full Fight A tussle is less intense than a full-blown fight and often brief. There was a brief tussle in the playground, but no one got hurt.