1
: military operations between enemies : hostilities, war
also
: an activity undertaken by a political unit (such as a nation) to weaken or destroy another
economic warfare
2
: struggle between competing entities : conflict
see also biological warfare, chemical warfare, cyber warfare, germ warfare, trench warfare
Synonyms
Examples of warfare in a Sentence
that troubled household seems to be almost constantly in a state of warfare
companies engaged in constant warfare for dominance in the market for smart phones and tablets
Recent Examples on the Web
Management by the Department of Defense will also streamline the process of introducing new technologies into warfare’s commercial frontier.
—
Matt Kaplan, Foreign Affairs, 31 Jan. 2025
Modern warfare demands far more than brute strength; tactical and technical proficiency are equally critical.
—Marissa Loya, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2025
Influences behind the positioning of the clock at that time included the Russia-Ukraine war; Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023; the potential for widespread nuclear warfare; the environmental effects of various natural disasters; and artificial intelligence.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
While warfare is the preferred metaphor for boxing, labor is the actual metaphor of choice for pro-wrestling.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for warfare 
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.
Matt Kaplan, Foreign Affairs, 31 Jan. 2025
Modern warfare demands far more than brute strength; tactical and technical proficiency are equally critical.
—Marissa Loya, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2025
Influences behind the positioning of the clock at that time included the Russia-Ukraine war; Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023; the potential for widespread nuclear warfare; the environmental effects of various natural disasters; and artificial intelligence.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
While warfare is the preferred metaphor for boxing, labor is the actual metaphor of choice for pro-wrestling.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for warfare
Dictionary Entries Near warfare
Cite this Entry
“Warfare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warfare. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
warfare
noun
war·fare
ˈwȯr-ˌfa(ə)r 
-ˌfe(ə)r
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share