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Synonyms

friction

American  
[frik-shuhn] / ˈfrɪk ʃən /

noun

  1. Physics. surface resistance to relative motion, as of a body sliding or rolling.

  2. the rubbing of the surface of one body against that of another.

    Rubber on pavement has more friction than steel wheel on steel rail.

  3. 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
friction British  
/ ˈfrɪkʃən /

noun

  1. a resistance encountered when one body moves relative to another body with which it is in contact

  2. the act, effect, or an instance of rubbing one object against another

  3. disagreement or conflict; discord

  4. phonetics the hissing element of a speech sound, such as a fricative

  5. perfumed alcohol used on the hair to stimulate the scalp

"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
friction Scientific  
/ frĭk′shən /

  1. A force on objects or substances in contact with each other that resists motion of the objects or substances relative to each other.

  2. ◆ 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.

  3. ◆ 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.

  4. See also drag

friction Cultural  

  1. The resistance of an object to the medium through which or on which it is traveling, such as air, water, or a solid floor.

Other Word Forms

  • frictional adjective
  • frictionless adjective
  • frictionlessly adverb
  • interfriction noun
  • nonfriction noun
  • self-friction noun

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

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.

While a fragile one-year truce managed to roll back certain tariffs, the fundamental friction remains as hot as ever.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Darmet said it could lead to increased friction in money markets, and potentially elevate currency and interest-rate volatility.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Ties between the two countries have long been plagued by sore spots ranging from trade friction to tech competition and geopolitical tensions.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

"There's less friction in class management," she says.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Marie-Laure crosses six evenly spaced friction strips on the kitchen tiles to reach the table; she follows a strand of twine he has threaded from the table to the toilet.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

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.