warfare

noun

ˈwȯr-ˌfer How to pronounce warfare (audio)
Definition of warfarenext
1
as in war
a lack of agreement or harmony that troubled household seems to be almost constantly in a state of warfare

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another companies engaged in constant warfare for dominance in the market for smart phones and tablets

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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 warfare Most historians believe that Troy did exist, and the city was destroyed by warfare and fire. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 17 July 2026 Humans prepare for warfare with more surveillance, taking to higher ground to gather information, conducting ambushes and raids, and quietly spying on enemy territory to avoid detection. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 July 2026 The role of commercial satellites in warfare has sparked speculative discussions on their legitimacy as military targets, and what the Pentagon’s role should be in defending them. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026 In other words, Syrsky takes a manpower-first approach to warfare, while Fedorov takes a technology-first approach to warfare. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for warfare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warfare
  1. war
  2. rivalry
  3. strife
  4. battle
  5. discord
  6. struggle
  7. conflict
  8. competition
Noun
  • The group believes the Iranian regime has ramped up executions under the cover of war.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • The announcement comes as rising geopolitical tensions, including wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, spur governments to rearm and reinvest in domestic industrial capacity.
    — Hugh Son, CNBC, 15 July 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The rivalry has seemingly extended beyond Brazil vs Argentina to Ronaldo vs Messi, too.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • But even ragged with a slippery ball, the Springboks still blanked Wales in successive matches for the first time since the first two matches in this rivalry, in 1906 and 1912.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Definition of rivalry
Noun
  • Next year’s game is scheduled for the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field for the first time since 1990, but is threatened by possible labor strife.
    — Ronald Blum, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
  • The transfer of the Chelsea art space is only the epilogue for Marlborough’s multi-year breakdown—the gallery’s closure in 2024 came after years of escalating strife and discord.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 9 July 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • The war’s new weapon What began as a ground war has evolved into a battle increasingly fought from the air.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • The battle harks back to the January 2025 Eaton fire which spread toxic ash over swaths of Altadena and Pasadena.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of battle
Noun
  • His removal sparked public protests and discord within the Ukrainian military, with Fedorov making an outspoken attack on the chief of the armed forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, on Thursday.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • The Administration has already undermined the agreement in many ways, experts tell TIME, citing the discord in February, when the bloc had to freeze the implementation of the agreement after Trump made additional tariff threats.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 9 July 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • Or maybe England’s much maligned Bukayo Saka shaking off early struggles to finish with a hat trick?
    — Sergio Gonzalez, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • The ongoing campaign, now in its second week, began with a struggle over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • The oil crisis brought on by the conflict in Iran has also boosted demand for China’s clean energy technology such as batteries and electric vehicles, as major energy importers have sought ways to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
    — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • This puts the big conflict of the episode into a different sort of relief.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 15 July 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Any restrictions on player registration would not apply to the Premier League, but UEFA does have the power to limit whom Newcastle can name in a ‘List A’ squad for European competitions.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Griffin and Mahony first heard about the Canberra competition just after their wedding.
    — Natalie Hoberman, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of competition

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Cite this Entry

“Warfare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warfare. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on warfare

Nglish: Translation of warfare for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about warfare

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