warfare
Americannoun
-
the process of military struggle between two nations or groups of nations; war.
-
armed conflict between two massed enemies, armies, or the like.
-
conflict, especially when vicious and unrelenting, between competitors, political rivals, etc.
noun
-
the act, process, or an instance of waging war
-
conflict, struggle, or strife
Other Word Forms
- semiwarfare noun
Etymology
Origin of warfare
1425–75; late Middle English werefare, i.e., a faring forth to war; war 1, fare
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.
"Hybrid warfare" is when a hostile state carries out an anonymous, deniable attack, usually in highly suspicious circumstances, but stops short of being an attributable act of war.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
Etienne Marcuz, associate researcher at French think-tank FRS, said that "among the things they can still do, there is the possibility of cyber" warfare.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
By the time of my visit, that brigade had put about 100 soldiers through a monthlong course focused on electronic warfare, the use of drones for reconnaissance and strikes, countering drones and tactics, says Maj.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
And Iranian strides in drone-making capabilities have boosted the country’s ability to wage asymmetric warfare.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026
The more than nineteen thousand recovered objects have provided invaluable insights into topics ranging from previously unknown methods of ancient naval warfare to the earliest history of musical instruments.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
