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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 French national-security officials are seeking to build resiliency against that threat—including against hybrid warfare of sabotage, cyberattack, and assassination—as well as against Islamist terrorism, which has struck their country repeatedly. — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026 Ukraine became the global leader in drone warfare out of necessity, Morningstar analyst Loredana Muharremi said. — Sam Meredith,elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 9 July 2026 Its onboard capabilities include advanced sensors and data integration, electronic warfare capabilities and interoperability with NATO forces. — Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 8 July 2026 The Pentagon is asking for about $54 billion in its fiscal year 2027 budget to spend on drones and autonomous warfare technologies—an amount that rivals wartime Ukraine’s entire military budget. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 8 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
  • And components like steel, aluminium and copper coming from other parts of the globe recently were impacted by the Iran war.
    — Anu Raghunathan, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
  • As Trump confronts Iran war tensions at the NATO summit in Turkey, he is also set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to press for more sanctions on Russia and speedier access to American defense systems.
    — Jamie Gray, NBC news, 9 July 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The Pride and Angel City have established a fierce rivalry in their short history.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2026
  • Spain and Portugal renew their historic rivalry, with Lamine Yamal and Cristiano Ronaldo in contrasting lights.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of rivalry
Noun
  • When her parents — the wonderful June Diane Raphael and Tom Everett Scott — fall into professional reputational strife, the family is forced to relocate to Seattle to rebuild their lives.
    — Scarlett Harris, IndieWire, 6 July 2026
  • But labor strife here is spilling off of the docks and into City Hall, with political implications for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, himself a former labor organizer who is expected to run for reelection in less than a year.
    — Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • True, nothing so grand as a massive dragon and naval battle took place, but seeing Rhaenyra start to change into someone almost unrecognizable from her younger, more innocent self was compelling in a deeper way.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • There have been naval battles and beheadings and aerial battles and, well, more beheadings.
    — Brian Grubb, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of battle
Noun
  • 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
  • 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 discord
Noun
  • Clifford was impressed with Acuff’s ability to play through his early struggles.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2026
  • Older students and professionals face an existential struggle to find a job, according to Yahya Alhamarna, a 24-year-old author displaced in Gaza City.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced some 13 million and pushed many parts of Sudan into famine.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • After more than four years of war between Russia and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a rare admission that the conflict has caused his country a problem.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 7 July 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • There are more moments to come, with SoFi Stadium slated to host Super Bowl LXI in February and then, in 2028, to stage the Olympic Opening Ceremony and the Olympic swimming competition.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • He was appointed for that competition’s 2022 final, having taken charge of the Europa League final a year earlier.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 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 12 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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