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
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
Modern warfare has shown that traditional radar systems often struggle to identify and monitor many small drones flying together.
—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Mar. 2026
As Iran’s drone campaign widens, the debate is no longer just about the cost gap between missiles and drones, but about whether traditional air defenses can sustain a new era of mass, low-cost aerial warfare.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 14 Mar. 2026
International law governing warfare bars strikes on structures, vehicles and people that are not military objectives and combatants.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
International law governing warfare bars strikes on structures, vehicles and people that are not military objectives and combatants.
—Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for warfare
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Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Mar. 2026
As Iran’s drone campaign widens, the debate is no longer just about the cost gap between missiles and drones, but about whether traditional air defenses can sustain a new era of mass, low-cost aerial warfare.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 14 Mar. 2026
International law governing warfare bars strikes on structures, vehicles and people that are not military objectives and combatants.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
International law governing warfare bars strikes on structures, vehicles and people that are not military objectives and combatants.
—Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for warfare
Cite this Entry
“Warfare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warfare. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
warfare
noun
war·fare
ˈwȯr-ˌfa(ə)r 
-ˌfe(ə)r
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