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

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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 With the possible exception of cyber, the lines between commercial and military operations in space are blurrier than in any other domain in modern warfare. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2026 Ukraine has developed drones and electronic warfare to thwart nearly all attack drones but not fast-moving missiles. — Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 22 July 2026 Once used for hunting and warfare, archery remains one of the three celebrated sports of the Naadam Festival, alongside wrestling and long-distance horse racing. — Undraa Buyannemekh, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026 The upheaval comes days after the PIC board suspended CEO Patrick Dlamini over a flawed $24 million private equity settlement, sparking internal warfare and board member resignations. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 22 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
  • But the Iran war has taken Qatar and UAE out of the market for a time, and this represents 16% of worldwide liquefaction.
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Another constituent and her family fled to Delaware after a gang war broke out in Haiti following the assassination of President Jovene Moise in 2021.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 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 Iranian military fired six missiles on Jordan today, according to the Jordan Armed Forces, as the regional conflict expands.
    — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Lario stressed that hunger and conflict often reinforce one another, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without greater stability.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 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 25 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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