Warfare — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈwȯr-ˌfer/ war·fare

Meaning & Definition of Warfare

Warfare (noun)

  1. military operations between enemies, hostilities, war; also, an activity undertaken by a political unit (such as a nation) to weaken or destroy another
  2. struggle between competing entities, conflict

Warfare (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a lack of agreement or harmony

    "that troubled household seems to be almost constantly in a state of warfare"

    similar: conflict, disaccord, discord, discordance, discordancy, disharmony, dissension, dissent, dissidence, dissonance, disunion, disunity, division, friction, infighting, inharmony, schism, strife, variance, war
    related: clash, collision, competition, contention, altercation, argument, bicker, brawl, debate, disagreement, dispute, divide, fissure, falling-out, fight, hassle, jar, miff, mix-up, quarrel, row, run-in, scrap, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle, incompatibility, incongruence, incongruity, incongruousness, inconsistence, inconsistency, inconsonance, inharmoniousness, animosity, antagonism, antipathy, cold war, enmity, hostility, ill will, rancor
    opposite: accord, agreement, concord, concordance, harmony, peace
    near: concurrence, cooperation

  2. an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another

    "companies engaged in constant warfare for dominance in the market for smart phones and tablets"

    similar: ball game, battle, combat, competition, conflict, confrontation, contention, contest, dogfight, duel, face-off, grapple, match, rivalry, strife, struggle, sweepstakes, tug-of-war, war
    related: horse race, nail-biter, showdown, clash, collision, discord, friction, argument, controversy, debate, disagreement, disputation, dispute, dissension, quarrel, row, wrangle
    near: concord, harmony, peace

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Warfare

The most common words with a similar meaning to Warfare:

conflict, disaccord, discord, discordance, discordancy, disharmony, dissension, dissent, dissidence, dissonance, disunion, disunity, division, friction, infighting, inharmony, schism, strife, variance, war, ball game, battle, combat, competition, confrontation, contention, contest, dogfight, duel, face-off, grapple, match, rivalry, struggle, sweepstakes, tug-of-war

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Warfare

Words with the opposite meaning of Warfare:

accord, agreement, concord, concordance, harmony, peace

Related Words for Warfare

clash, collision, altercation, argument, bicker, brawl, debate, disagreement, dispute, divide, fissure, falling-out, fight, hassle, jar, miff, mix-up, quarrel, row, run-in, scrap, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle, incompatibility, incongruence, incongruity, incongruousness, inconsistence

Near Antonyms of Warfare

concurrence, cooperation

Origin & Etymology of Warfare

Middle English, from werre, warre war + fare journey, passage fare

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Warfare

Words & Phrases Containing Warfare

biological warfare, chemical warfare, cyber warfare, germ warfare, trench warfare, psychological warfare

Frequently Asked Questions about Warfare

What does "Warfare" mean?

"Warfare" means military operations between enemies, hostilities, war; also, an activity undertaken by a political unit (such as a nation) to weaken or destroy another. As a noun, it is defined as: military operations between enemies, hostilities, war; also, an activity undertaken by a political unit (such as a nation) to weaken or destroy another. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Warfare"?

Other words for "Warfare" include conflict, disaccord, discord, discordance, discordancy, disharmony, dissension and dissent. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Warfare" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Warfare"?

There are 82 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Warfare". Common alternatives include conflict, disaccord, discord, discordance, discordancy, disharmony, dissension, dissent, dissidence and dissonance.

What is the opposite of "Warfare"?

Antonyms of "Warfare" include accord, agreement, concord, concordance, harmony and peace. Near antonyms include concurrence and cooperation.

How do you use "Warfare" in a sentence?

Examples of "Warfare" in a sentence: "that troubled household seems to be almost constantly in a state of warfare"; "companies engaged in constant warfare for dominance in the market for smart phones and tablets".

Is "Warfare" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Warfare" is a noun.

Is "Warfare" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Warfare" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Warfare"?

"Warfare" is pronounced /ˈwȯr-ˌfer/ and divided into syllables as war·fare.