warfare
Americannoun
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the process of military struggle between two nations or groups of nations; war.
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armed conflict between two massed enemies, armies, or the like.
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conflict, especially when vicious and unrelenting, between competitors, political rivals, etc.
noun
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the act, process, or an instance of waging war
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conflict, struggle, or strife
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of warfare
1425–75; late Middle English werefare, i.e., a faring forth to war; see war 1, fare
Explanation
When two countries fight violently with each other, the conflict is called warfare. Whenever a group engages in war or violence, it can be described with the noun warfare, which is another way of saying "the act of war." Terrorists might use guerrilla warfare tactics against their enemies, and governments may resort to warfare to put down revolutions. The word war originally comes from a Germanic root, werso, which means "to perplex or confuse."
Vocabulary lists containing warfare
Mesopotamia - Introductory
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"Culture Clash"
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Mesopotamia - Middle School and High School
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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.
Warfare is going through another transition, one placing new, if not central, emphasis on drones, networks, and A.I.
From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026
Modern Warfare 4, due out 23 October, partly follows South Korean soldiers battling a full-scale North Korean invasion.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
It would be the dark and brooding Germ Warfare Shot.
From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026
Warfare is changing as low-cost drones proliferate on the battlefield—meaning the U.S. must adapt to the new threat.
From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026
And now we see why the opening to A History of Warfare is so puzzling.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
