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 The conflict between the various groups, and especially between the NLF and FLOSY, escalated into open warfare for the right to govern after British withdrawal, which was first announced in 1964. — Manfred W. Wenner All, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Nov. 2026 Recent warfare has illustrated another dimension of the threat. — MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Nov. 2026 These were majestic art objects but in the hands of skilled puppeteers, the Sicilian marionettes shows could also erupt into wild, raw, bloodthirsty warfare. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026 The drama adds a focus on the psychological and emotional warfare beyond the physical battles. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 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
  • This is the day of maximal public attention to television and online news, on par with wars and natural disasters and the World Cup finals.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Why has Trump provided Putin economic lifelines to continue his war against Ukraine?
    — Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The Chiefs-Jets all-time series is certainly not considered one of the great NFL rivalries, but the teams have a long history.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Like Cassavetes, Jaglom tended to be almost single-mindedly focused on interpersonal relationships — romantic ones, but also friendships and rivalries between men and between women.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of rivalry
Noun
  • Concerns about security and safety due to political strife have caused many Americans to think about second residency.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2026
  • But in the last year and half, the national economic strife has plagued his store.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • The letter was shared as Haitian police and foreign forces continue to battle gangs, with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé announcing on X late Friday that a gang leader was killed, without identifying him.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The attention surfaced new accusations of misconduct against sitting members and thrust a spotlight onto others that were part of ongoing legal battles.
    — Anna Liss-Roy, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of battle
Noun
  • A throw toward the center and then, at times, a lateral backwards to create discord among the secondaries and then race downfield.
    — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • To use isolated instances of interpersonal discord as a pretext to strip 18 distinct counties of their democratic home rule is a severe structural overreaction.
    — Eric Wargotz, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is going to start calling plays from the booth instead of the sideline amid his unit’s tremendous struggles.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Alternative data creates opportunities to assess people whom traditional scoring struggles to understand, but those opportunities come with responsibility.
    — Artem Lalaiants, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has also warned that Iran would retaliate if Washington reignited the conflict.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Its cost was recovered after just one month of conflict, according to people familiar with the matter.
    — Amena Bakr, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • In the team competition, Granada Hills edged Palisades by one stroke, 416-417, to end the Dolphins’ five-year reign, which was one short of the City record set by Granada Hills from 2001-06 and equaled by the Highlanders from 2011-16.
    — Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The only worthy competition, so far, is Adults, a zanier, higher-energy show in the tradition of Broad City and Happy Endings—and one that gained some depth in this year’s great second season.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 6 Nov. 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 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on warfare

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about warfare

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