warfare

noun

war·​fare ˈwȯr-ˌfer 

1

: military operations between enemies : hostilities, war

also : an activity undertaken by a political unit (such as a nation) to weaken or destroy another

economic warfare

2

: struggle between competing entities : conflict

see also biological warfare, chemical warfare, cyber warfare, germ warfare, trench warfare

Synonyms of warfare

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

Examples of warfare in a Sentence

that troubled household seems to be almost constantly in a state of warfare

companies engaged in constant warfare for dominance in the market for smart phones and tablets

Recent Examples on the Web

European allies accuse Russia of waging a campaign of hybrid warfare against them, of which the disruptive airspace violations are a part, along with sabotage plots, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and more. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025

The company says the fifth-gen submarine A26 will provide unprecedented capabilities across sea, air, and information domains, marking a new era in undersea warfare. —Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2025

However, the latter event takes place on May 8 every year, marking the end of warfare in Europe during World War II. —Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025

Russia has spent years developing electronic warfare capabilities amid the war in Ukraine. —Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from werre, warre war + fare journey, passage — more at fare

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing warfare

• biological warfare
• chemical warfare
• cyber warfare
• germ warfare
• psychological warfare
• trench warfare

Rhymes for warfare

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

warfare

noun

war·​fare ˈwȯr-ˌfa(ə)r 

-ˌfe(ə)r

1

a

: military fighting between enemies : war

b

: activity undertaken by one country or group to weaken or destroy another

economic warfare

2

: a struggle between competitors : conflict

industrial warfare