price war

American  

noun

1. intensive competition, especially among retailers, in which prices are repeatedly cut in order to undersell competitors or sometimes to force smaller competitors out of business.

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price war British  

noun

1. a period of intense competition among enterprises, esp retail enterprises, in the same market, characterized by repeated price reductions rather than advertising, brand promotion, etc

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Etymology

Origin of price war

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

This week, investors are turning their attention to China’s latest industrial profit data for December, due on Tuesday, amid fierce price wars that have driven corporate profits lower and prompted authorities to monitor closely.

From The Wall Street Journal

A mortgage price war may be on its way to help a housing market rebound after months of Budget uncertainty.

From BBC

Intense competition in China has sparked a prolonged price war as rivals cut prices to win customers while local consumers have moved to tech-heavy domestic models.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tesco is up against mounting expectations from investors and rising price wars in the U.K. grocery segment, making it trickier for it to exceed the market outlook, analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal

China’s regulatory environment is also likely to remain favorable in FY 2026, while the government’s campaign to curb price wars could also help support bond yields, the analyst adds in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal