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

But Chinese brands are also facing headwinds as a ferocious price war at home eats into profit margins.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

With dozens of competing brands, China's EV market has become heavily saturated leading to a costly price war that has chipped away at companies' profits.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

To price war risk premiums, underwriters are considering numerous factors such as the type, flag and owner of the vessel, as well as its size, speed and cargo.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Meituan 3690 -3.67%decrease; red down pointing triangle recorded a loss in the final quarter of 2025 as the food-delivery giant continued to bleed from the brutal price war in China.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

If Burger King and McDonald’s launch a price war to gain market share, they partly make up in volume what they lose in price.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt