strife
Americannoun
-
vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, or antagonism.
to be at strife.
- Synonyms:
- opposition, contrariety, disagreement, difference
- Antonyms:
- peace
-
a quarrel, struggle, or clash.
armed strife.
- Antonyms:
- peace
-
competition or rivalry.
the strife of the marketplace.
-
Archaic. strenuous effort.
noun
-
angry or violent struggle; conflict
-
rivalry or contention, esp of a bitter kind
-
trouble or discord of any kind
to get into strife
-
archaic striving
Other Word Forms
- strifeful adjective
- strifeless adjective
- understrife noun
Etymology
Origin of strife
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English strif, from Old French estrif, akin to estriver; strive
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.
The announcement Wednesday was more than a conclusion to months of clinical trials and regulatory strife.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
Players themselves were caught up in the strife and idealism of the era, Mr. Gittlitz shows.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
They said they were concerned over negative news about a major Latino figure at a time of community strife over challenges that include immigration raids.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
Prudence chose the former, and the rest chose strife.
From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026
He had pledged to end civil strife forever, and he did not want to go back on his word.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
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.
