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Synonyms

strife

American  
[strahyf] / straɪf /

noun

  1. vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, or antagonism.

    to be at strife.

    Synonyms:
    opposition, contrariety, disagreement, difference
    Antonyms:
    peace
  2. a quarrel, struggle, or clash.

    armed strife.

    Synonyms:
    conflict, fight
    Antonyms:
    peace
  3. competition or rivalry.

    the strife of the marketplace.

  4. Archaic. strenuous effort.


strife British  
/ straɪf /

noun

  1. angry or violent struggle; conflict

  2. rivalry or contention, esp of a bitter kind

  3. trouble or discord of any kind

    to get into strife

  4. archaic striving

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • strifeful adjective
  • strifeless adjective
  • understrife noun

Etymology

Origin of strife

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English strif, from Old French estrif, akin to estriver; strive

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.

He was instrumental in resolving Hollywood’s bitter year of labor strife by negotiating truces with the Writers Guild of America and performers’ union, SAG-AFTRA, in 2023.

From Los Angeles Times

Paulo also kept an eye out for unexpected stories revealing Brazil's social strife.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the same time, Niccol is contending with labor strife that is causing some stores to close for stretches.

From The Wall Street Journal

The world of all too much suffering and strife badly wants to believe him.

From BBC

Companies are weighing their financing strategies amid fiscal policy uncertainty, inflation, a fight over the Fed’s independence, and geopolitical strife in places like Venezuela, Iran and Greenland.

From The Wall Street Journal