feud
1 Americannoun
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Also called blood feud. a bitter, continuous hostility, especially between two families, clans, etc., often lasting for many years or generations.
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a bitter quarrel or contention.
a feud between labor and management.
- Synonyms:
- difference, argument
verb (used without object)
noun
noun
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long and bitter hostility between two families, clans, or individuals; vendetta
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a quarrel or dispute
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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feudsimple
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feudssimple
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have feudedperfect
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has feudedperfect
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am feudingprogressive
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are feudingprogressive
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is feudingprogressive
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have been feudingperfect progressive
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has been feudingperfect progressive
Past
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feudedsimple
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had feudedperfect
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was feudingprogressive
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were feudingprogressive
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had been feudingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of feud1
1300–50; variant of fead ( a misread as u ), Middle English fede < Middle French fe ( i ) de < Old High German fēhida; cognate with Old English fǣhth enmity. See foe, -th 1
Origin of feud2
1605–15; < Medieval Latin feudum, variant of feodum. See fee
Explanation
A feud is a long-standing fight, often between two families. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare describes the lovers' long-feuding families, the Capulets and the Montagues. Feuds do not have to be violent—what characterizes them is long-standing hostility. Ethnic groups can sometimes be said to be feuding. Kids in school who refuse to sit at the same lunch table over a period of years could describe their relationship as a feud.
Vocabulary lists containing feud
Beowulf vocabulary
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"Romeo and Juliet" and "West Side Story"
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"The Interlopers" and "An Interview with the King of Terror"
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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.
A feud over corporate control and public credit followed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026
Harry and Meghan left Britain for North America in 2020 amid a bitter feud with his family, which worsened as Harry published his tell-all memoir "Spare".
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
A podcast that ends an ancient beef: On Slate’s ICYMI, host Kate Lindsay reveals she’s in an unspoken, decade-long Venmo feud, and then gets some expert help on bringing it to a close.
From Slate • Jun. 24, 2026
Steven Lyons is the head of the Lyons group, which has been involved in a feud with the rival Daniel group in Scotland for more than 20 years.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
Or that a feud is a profoundly stupid thing.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
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.
