cold war

1 :  a conflict over ideological differences carried on by methods short of sustained overt military action and usually without breaking off diplomatic relations; specifically, often capitalized C&W :  the ideological conflict between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. during the second half of the 20th century — compare hot war

2 :  a condition of rivalry, mistrust, and often open hostility short of violence especially between power groups (such as labor and management)