friction
Americannoun
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frictions
plural
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Physics. surface resistance to relative motion, as of a body sliding or rolling.
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the rubbing of the surface of one body against that of another.
Rubber on pavement has more friction than steel wheel on steel rail.
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dissension or conflict between people, nations, etc., because of differing ideas, wishes, etc..
Friction between family members can escalate during a heat wave, as extreme weather can cause tempers to fray.
- Synonyms:
- contention, antagonism, clash, dissidence, discord
noun
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a resistance encountered when one body moves relative to another body with which it is in contact
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the act, effect, or an instance of rubbing one object against another
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disagreement or conflict; discord
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phonetics the hissing element of a speech sound, such as a fricative
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perfumed alcohol used on the hair to stimulate the scalp
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A force on objects or substances in contact with each other that resists motion of the objects or substances relative to each other.
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◆ Static friction arises between two objects that are not in motion with respect to each other, as for example between a cement block and a wooden floor. It increases to counterbalance forces that would move the objects, up to a certain maximum level of force, at which point the objects will begin moving. It is measured as the maximum force the bodies will sustain before motion occurs.
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◆ Kinetic friction arises between bodies that are in motion with respect to each other, as for example the force that works against sliding a cement block along a wooden floor. Between two hard surfaces, the kinetic friction is usually somewhat lower than the static friction, meaning that more force is required to set the objects in motion than to keep them in motion.
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See also drag
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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interfrictionnoun
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nonfrictionnoun
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self-frictionnoun
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frictionaladjective
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frictionlessadjective
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frictionlesslyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of friction
First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin frictiōn-, stem of frictiō “a rubbing,” from frict(us) “rubbed” (past participle of fricāre “to rub”) + -iō -ion
Explanation
When one thing rubs and grates against another, it causes friction. That can include two clashing personalities or simply a match striking the matchbox and causing a spark. A form of resistance, friction is caused by a chafing movement between two or more objects. In the 18th century, friction meant specifically a “resistance to motion,” but a few decades later grew to also describe disagreement or conflict. The friction between the brakes and your tires helps stop your car when you're going too fast. Not speeding in the first place can help avoid friction between you and the traffic police.
Vocabulary lists containing friction
Word Generation Science - Energy
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Force and Motion (Mechanics) - Middle School
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Force and Motion (Mechanics) - Introductory
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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.
See Examples For:
An invitation brings a smile to your face, but the fact that you were taken aback by the sender of the invite created just enough friction in the process to give you pause.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
An undercurrent of friction brought an edge to the breezy vibe, with Edwards often acting as the awkward buffer between Lucey and Barberie, who did little to disguise their dislike of each other.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
The diary starts including press clippings playing up friction between Dr. Fauci and other officials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
The meeting comes amid signs of growing friction between the two leaders.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
In science lessons, Miss Watson called it friction.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
The fines come just days before the first anniversary of a tariff deal struck between Washington and Brussels that eased trade frictions.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Sir Keir had wanted to seal a deal to row back many of the post-Brexit frictions on food and farm trade that have impacted the cross-Channel trade flows.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
The frictions also played out on the ground in Beijing as US and Chinese officials appeared to be having their own shadow superpower battle.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
As artificial intelligence makes life frictionless, we risk removing the very frictions that keep human beings healthy: effort, challenge, learning and forward motion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026
Psychically, it was a rabbit hole, a midden, hot with the frictions of tightly packed life, reeking with emotion.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
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.
