warfare
Americannoun
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the process of military struggle between two nations or groups of nations; war.
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armed conflict between two massed enemies, armies, or the like.
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conflict, especially when vicious and unrelenting, between competitors, political rivals, etc.
noun
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the act, process, or an instance of waging war
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conflict, struggle, or strife
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of warfare
1425–75; late Middle English werefare, i.e., a faring forth to war; see war 1, fare
Explanation
When two countries fight violently with each other, the conflict is called warfare. Whenever a group engages in war or violence, it can be described with the noun warfare, which is another way of saying "the act of war." Terrorists might use guerrilla warfare tactics against their enemies, and governments may resort to warfare to put down revolutions. The word war originally comes from a Germanic root, werso, which means "to perplex or confuse."
Vocabulary lists containing warfare
Mesopotamia - Introductory
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"Culture Clash"
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Mesopotamia - Middle School and High School
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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.
"Therefore, there is absolutely no basis for claiming that the munitions struck the building as a result of our air defence or electronic warfare systems," the Kremlin leader said.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
Army Air Forces in World War II, wanted to know how rockets, satellites, jet engines and nuclear weapons might change warfare in the postwar world.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Kenya and his brigade are living through what appears to be the paradox of modern warfare.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
The taking of prizes fell off globally in the 20th century, largely due to the changing nature of shipping and naval warfare, including the decline in the use of blockades.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Irregular warfare is war in which one or more sides might not use a regular military organization, and might or might not use conventional weapons or tactics.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
