feud

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈfyüd How to pronounce feud (audio)
Synonyms of feudnext
: a mutual enmity or quarrel that is often prolonged or inveterate (see inveterate sense 2)
especially : blood feud
Because of a family feud, they did not see each other for a decade.
feud intransitive verb

feud

2 of 2

noun (2)

: fee sense 1a

Examples of feud in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
But, while her feud with Britney Haynes — stemming from their time on Big Brother: Reindeer Games in 2023 — was her main résumé point on the Peacock competition series, the now-53-year-old grandmother's true Big Brother legacy goes back much further and deeper. — Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025 Slate has not spoken publicly about the feud — aside from releasing a brief statement in support of Lively early on — and won’t change that policy during this interview. — Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2025 The feud started during an Oct. 25 game between the two teams, which VIU won 69-56 after trans player Harriette Mackenzie scored a game-high 19 points. — Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 16 Mar. 2025 The feud escalated further with Ricochet stealing Strickland's ceremonial robe. — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for feud

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

alteration of Middle English feide, from Anglo-French *faide, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German fēhida hostility, feud, Old English fāh hostile — more at foe

Noun (2)

Medieval Latin feodum, feudum, alteration (probably influenced by Medieval Latin alodum, allodium land not subject to rent or service) of feo, feus, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German fihu cattle — more at fee

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of feud was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing feud

Rhymes for feud

See All Rhymes for feud

Browse Nearby Words

feud
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Feud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feud. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

feud

noun
ˈfyüd
: a long lasting quarrel
especially : a lasting conflict between families or clans usually having acts of violence and revenge
feud verb

More from Merriam-Webster on feud

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for feud

Nglish: Translation of feud for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about feud

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All