friction

noun

ˈfrik-shən How to pronounce friction (audio)
Definition of frictionnext
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony there was friction between the two sides of the family

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of friction The challenge, Shaw said, is introducing enough friction to make people scrutinize AI’s answers without making the technology so cumbersome that users simply choose a faster competitor. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026 Platforms that reduce friction in deployment, improve accountability, and keep field teams effective accelerate the work. — Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Even just having vaccines spaced out is additional friction that will inevitably lead to fewer children receiving their inoculations. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026 If retirement investing feels intimidating, SoFi Invest strips out a lot of the friction. — Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for friction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for friction
  1. discord
  2. strife
  3. conflict
  4. discordance
  5. war
  6. schism
  7. discordancy
  8. warfare
Noun
  • Then came the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and with it, a new era of chaos and discord.
    — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
  • As the United States marks its 250th anniversary at a time of national discord, Americans are reflecting on the legacy of their country’s history.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • Life had changed drastically for all of them, naturally — there were now dealing with mortgages, children, marital strife, health issues, and your run-of-the-mill middle-age malaise.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The rare interview comes a few months after reports of marital strife between Edo and Beatrice, 37, who tied the knot in 2020.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • Oman, a historic US ally, has attempted to act as a mediator between the US and Iran both before and during the conflict, notably hosting nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington before the war broke out in February.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • That definition appears designed to keep participating firms focused on criminal enterprises and out of interstate conflicts.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Part of that discordance might be the fact that as a genre, rock has historically been difficult to define.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Nov. 2025
  • The songs bounce from discordance and disorientation to harmoniousness and repose — even in the uneasy moments, the songs don't sink.
    — Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Definition of discordance
Noun
  • Russian drones have repeatedly breached Romanian airspace throughout the war.
    — Kosta Gak, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Yields have risen in recent months over growing concerns about inflation stemming from the monthslong war in Iran and ballooning government debt, among other factors.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The lasting schism among religious groups would ultimately be linked to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi (1948) and that of Indira Gandhi (1984).
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • But the Kirtland church community soon experienced schisms and conflicts over doctrine, money and authority.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of schism
Noun
  • The discordancy is so intriguing — like learning that Katharine Graham went to nude encounter sessions at Esalen, or Alan Greenspan was once in a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021
Definition of discordancy
Noun
  • Some have been Ukrainian drones knocked off course by Russian electronic warfare, such as the jamming of navigation signals, which can make their flight paths unpredictable and complicate decisions about whether and where to shoot them down.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But by repeating the training scenario throughout the two-week exercise, US Army troops got better at figuring out how to disperse and hide from the drones while using countermeasures such as electronic warfare.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of warfare

Browse Nearby Words

fricassees
friction
frictionless
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Cite this Entry

“Friction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/friction. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on friction

Nglish: Translation of friction for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about friction

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