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.
The fiscal year 2027 budget request for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, or DAWG, is $54 billion, up from $226 million in 2026.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
Requested spending on research and development for the next fiscal year includes $54.6 billion for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, set up last year to accelerate investments in AI-powered drones and uncrewed systems.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
Warfare is changing as low-cost drones proliferate on the battlefield—meaning the U.S. must adapt to the new threat.
From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026
André Gagné, a theologian and author of “American Evangelicals for Trump: Dominion, Spiritual Warfare, and the End Times,” writes about the ways in which the mandate spreads by empowering local leaders and believers.
From Salon • Jul. 11, 2025
It is the opening of John Keegan’s 1993 magnum opus, A History of Warfare: War is not the continuation of policy by other means.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
