strife

noun

ˈstrīf 

1

a

: bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension

political strife

b

: an act of contention : fight, struggle

2

: exertion or contention for superiority

3

archaic : earnest endeavor

strifeless

ˈstrī-fləs 

adjective

Synonyms of strife

• discord
• friction
• conflict
• war
• discordance
• warfare
• schism
• dissent
• discordancy

Choose the Right Synonym for strife

discord, strife, conflict, contention, dissension, variance mean a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony.

discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Examples of strife in a Sentence

in order to avoid family strife, the children spend equal time during the holidays with both of their grandmothers

bitter strife between the two political factions

Recent Examples on the Web

The prospect of labor strife looms over the rest of this Padres/MLB season, what with the labor pact due to expire in December and both sides already drawing bright red lines in public statements. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026

The legal strife between controversial rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) and his former assistant Lauren Pisciotta has ended after more than two years. — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

In a world at war over competing interests, is love a realistic answer to ending strife? — Margaret Rogers, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026

An intervention would risk shattering Lebanon, igniting sectarian strife, and further destabilizing the entire region, potentially undermining Sharaa's government. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English strif, from Anglo-French estrif, estri, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch striden to fight, Old High German strītan to quarrel — more at stride

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for strife

• knife
• life
• rife
• wife
• afterlife
• pocketknife
• alewife
• birdlife
• folklife
• housewife
• jackknife
• midlife

Kids Definition

strife

noun

ˈstrīf 

1

: bitter sometimes violent disagreement

political strife

2

: struggle entry 2 sense 2, fight