Push-pull

Definitions

An alternation or fluctuation between two opposites; a back-and-forth dispute, a tug of war.

Equivalents

Examples

“In Europe, the debate⟳ around abortion access has been regalvanised by the pandemic, and last⟳ year Poland passed a near total ban, […]. Elsewhere we’ve seen a swing⟳ in the opposite direction, […]. The overall effect of this push-pull is an atmosphere of intense instability as we face⟳ up to a new phase in the struggle⟳ for reproductive justice.”

“The push-pull puts us more or less in the same shoes as protagonist Lucy (Grace Van Patten), who spends years wriggling on his hook before she’s finally able to cut⟳ herself free — and it’s that keen understanding of the psychology driving its central relationship that distinguishes Tell⟳ Me Lies from any number⟳ of dramas about steamy but doomed romances.”

CEFR level