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 Russian Revolution of 1917, labor strife and acts such as a bombing on Wall Street that claimed dozens of lives fueled calls for deportations. —David Knutson, Twin Cities, 31 Dec. 2025

And over the Christmas holiday, the president fired missiles into Nigeria, intervening in Nigerian civil strife, again, with no pretense of any kind of authorization by anyone other than the president at his own whim. —David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025

Photography is a significant part of Goats and Soda's coverage of the joys and strife of daily life. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 29 Dec. 2025

Economic downturn led residents to cut back on luxuries and necessities, while traffic and parking strife on The Grid are pushing away a good portion of remaining customers. —Sacbee.com, 29 Dec. 2025

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
• loosestrife

Kids Definition

strife

noun

ˈstrīf 

1

: bitter sometimes violent disagreement

political strife

2

: struggle entry 2 sense 2, fight