feud
1 Americannoun
-
Also called blood feud. a bitter, continuous hostility, especially between two families, clans, etc., often lasting for many years or generations.
-
a bitter quarrel or contention.
a feud between labor and management.
- Synonyms:
- difference, argument
verb (used without object)
noun
noun
-
long and bitter hostility between two families, clans, or individuals; vendetta
-
a quarrel or dispute
verb
noun
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.
Amodei met with Bessent and Wiles last month to discuss Mythos, conversations that have brought the two sides together to try to resolve a monthslong feud.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
The legal and public relations feud has stretched on for well over a year.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
The feud has fuelled a costly showdown between two tech titans – but in this courtroom, there is no doubt who is calling the shots.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
While most observers seem to think Mamdani and Griffin will eventually resolve their Drake-and-Kendrick-Lamar-style feud, Vornado CEO Steven Roth weighed in Tuesday, seeking to reassure investors further.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
Kind and sensitive Aglovale, the forgiver of the Pellinore feud, was exchanging hearty thumps with the beautiful Gareth.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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.
