price war

noun

: commercial competition characterized by the repeated cutting of prices below those of competitors

Examples of price war in a Sentence

The airlines are engaged in another price war.
Recent Examples on the Web The rapid introduction of new models — and price cuts — has spurred a price war in China as rival automakers look to maintain their place in the crowded market. William Gavin, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 Musk himself kicked off what may become the EV price war to end all price wars, slashing an average 25 percent off most Tesla prices and forcing Ford, Hyundai, Lucid, and other rivals to follow suit. IEEE Spectrum, 8 Feb. 2024 However, intensifying competition and a brutal price war last year have impacted the profit margins of many car makers. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2024 The sale came just before computer prices plummeted in 1991, owing to a price war in the industry. Will Daniel, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024 As China cranks up its sales assault in Europe, the scene is set for a price war, said Al Bedwell, analyst at GlobalData, which might end up benefitting EV sales. Neil Winton, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 In China, fierce competition between the domestic auto industry’s major players has led to price wars. Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 15 Feb. 2024 That has led to a price war in China, particularly between BYD and Tesla, with discounting that has inflicted heavy losses. Keith Bradsher, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2024 The Chinese auto market remains intensely competitive amid a price war between manufacturers, dominated by locals like BYD, with its strong EV offerings. Yuri Kageyama, Quartz, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'price war.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of price war was in 1895

Dictionary Entries Near price war

Cite this Entry

“Price war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/price%20war. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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