1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony
in order to avoid family strife, the children spend equal time during the holidays with both of their grandmothers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
bitter strife between the two political factions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strife
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
See All Example Sentences for strife
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
See All Example Sentences for strife
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strife
Noun
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But when her latest husband, discord spirit Raksh, provokes the council’s wrath, Amina must clean up his blunder, contend with Marjana’s demands for the truth…and figure out who on her crew is plotting a mutiny.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Jan. 2026
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Turning Point spokesperson Andrew Kolvet framed the discord as a healthy debate about the future of the movement, an uncomfortable but necessary process of finding consensus.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Fortune,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
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After sending the cheeseheads packing with the biggest playoff comeback in franchise history, Ben Johnson spiced up the rivalry with some salty language.—
Jori Parys,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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As interbranch rivalry morphed into systemic partisan competition, a judiciary dominated by Republican appointees began consolidating its authority at Congress’s expense.—
Duncan Hosie,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This airflow spins the rotator through surface friction alone.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
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The sneakers have a stretchy mesh upper material that provides airflow during activity and minimizes friction, according to the brand.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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His struggles are hurting the Broncos in the biggest moments, too.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Jan. 2026
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After all, there are signs that the economy is improving (unemployment and inflation are declining), but after the economic struggles of recent years, and with household debt still high, an additional financing source won't hurt, either.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Authorities said the display was likely the result of a conflict between criminal groups operating in the area.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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Calvo said the city’s contract with consulting firm NCGA LLC raises potential conflict-of-interest concerns.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This was not a rare occurrence at the university, where the presence of many students depended on the outcome of factional battles in their countries of origin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
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In fact, filming the entire episode was quite the experience as the actress spent a lot of time arguing with herself as Maddie and Sara engaged in a battle of wills for control over the call center.—
Sabienna Bowman,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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American forces built about a dozen bases of varying size in Greenland during and after the war.—
Stephen J. Beard,
USA Today,
15 Jan. 2026
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And analysts say that countries, including smaller developing markets, may be more wary of irking China, even to protect the growth of their own manufacturing sectors – especially when contending with a US trade war.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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By 1900, only a precious few Blackfeet had made it through the gantlet of smallpox, warfare, starvation, and Christianization.—
David Treuer,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
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Drone use is increasing in Africa across various sectors, including by the military for surveillance and warfare like in Sudan, but also for social services.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strife.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strife. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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