strife
Americannoun
-
vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, or antagonism.
to be at strife.
- Synonyms:
- opposition, contrariety, disagreement, difference
- Antonyms:
- peace
-
a quarrel, struggle, or clash.
armed strife.
- Antonyms:
- peace
-
competition or rivalry.
the strife of the marketplace.
-
Archaic. strenuous effort.
noun
-
angry or violent struggle; conflict
-
rivalry or contention, esp of a bitter kind
-
trouble or discord of any kind
to get into strife
-
archaic striving
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of strife
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English strif, from Old French estrif, akin to estriver; see strive
Explanation
Strife is the act or state of fighting or arguing violently. The years leading up to the U.S. Civil War were characterized by great strife between northern and southern states over slavery and the role of a federal government. This word applies to major issues and events, such as war and religious conflict: a period of civil strife. Like its Old French source, the original meaning of the English noun strife and the English verb strive had to do with an argument or quarrel. But the verb strive has lost that earlier sense, and now means to try hard to do or achieve something.
Vocabulary lists containing strife
Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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"To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They are simply and understandably exhausted by the neverending strife.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Family strife is front and center in Harmon’s personal drama, a portrait of an artist as a young grandson.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
In a separate statement, Berri emphasised "the need to avoid internal strife in Lebanon and to make every effort to preserve and maintain stability and civil peace".
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
Despite this, he's facing a dwindling number of volunteers and donors - a symptom, as he puts it, of a town "left to fester" in economic strife.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
“Well, there you have it! Now we know Anya gets her attitude from your side of the family! Miro was as even-tempered as they come. Not an ounce of strife in the boy, not ever.”
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
