strife

noun

ˈstrīf How to pronounce strife (audio)
Definition of strifenext
1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony in order to avoid family strife, the children spend equal time during the holidays with both of their grandmothers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another bitter strife between the two political factions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun strife contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of strife are conflict, contention, discord, dissension, and variance. While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

When is it sensible to use conflict instead of strife?

While the synonyms conflict and strife are close in meaning, conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

In what contexts can contention take the place of strife?

The words contention and strife can be used in similar contexts, but contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

When could discord be used to replace strife?

While in some cases nearly identical to strife, discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

When might dissension be a better fit than strife?

The words dissension and strife are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

When would variance be a good substitute for strife?

In some situations, the words variance and strife are roughly equivalent. However, variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of strife Besides, the Caribbean strife was thwarting trade and endangering American lives and livelihoods in the region. McKinley, sympathetic toward the rebels but not wanting war with Spain, dispatched a prominent Illinois trial lawyer to Cuba to study the situation and report back. —Robert W. Merry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025 President Rodrigo Chaves Robles of Costa Rica, whose government has historically gone to great lengths to uphold itself as neutral in regional conflicts and strife, also allowed U.S. migrant flights to land in his country. —Lomi Kriel, ProPublica, 12 Mar. 2025 The 1996 Met was a bit of a Diana 2.0 emergence—by December 1996, her contentious divorce from then-Prince Charles had been finalized for just over three months, following a four-year separation (and plenty of marital strife before that). —Rachel Burchfield, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025 Read More: Veterans Fired From Federal Government Jobs Feel ‘Betrayed’ by Trump The strife has extended to Jenn’s mother, a former federal employee herself. —TIME, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for strife
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strife
  1. discord
  2. rivalry
  3. friction
  4. struggle
  5. conflict
  6. battle
  7. war
  8. warfare
Noun
  • Earlier this month, discord within the party broke out after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted along with nine other Senate Democrats and one House Democrat to approve a House GOP funding measure in an effort to avoid a government shutdown.
    — Julia Manchester, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2025
  • From taking your lighting to Clark Griswold-status to planting a towering oak smack dab on the property line, there are plenty of ways your garden can cause discord among the neighbors in record time.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of discord
Noun
  • Ricky Steamboat From Clash Of The Champions 6 The intense rivalry between Ricky Steamboat and Flair produced some of the most celebrated matches in professional wrestling history.
    — Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The sports drama, inspired by the real-life rivalry between Go masters Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho, earned $3.5 million from 544,259 admissions, securing 61.74% of the weekend market share, according to Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of rivalry
Noun
  • The club said a meeting would be held with fans but even that caused friction, with more letters and messages being published to ensure that was held.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • These technologies help streamline workflows, improve user experience and ensure that traders have access to real-time data across multiple applications without friction.
    — Pooja Jain, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of friction
Noun
  • Not having to make payments might be a relief to those who are experiencing any financial struggles.
    — Annie Nova, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2025
  • As much as anything tactical, Guardiola also has to pick the players that are in any kind of form and that has been the bigger challenge for a lot of this season, considering the struggles of De Bruyne, Gundogan, Foden, Bernardo, Kovacic, etc.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • Faucette alleged that the conflict began in the driveway of Bryant's Apex home around 10 p.m. on Friday after Brown came to pick his child up without a proper car seat, reported CBS17 and WRAL.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Your company's purpose should be nonnegotiable and a source of inspiration, especially during times of conflict.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Despite being a nonpartisan race, the Badger State contest served as a national proxy battle for Democratic officials and progressive groups, who are grasping at any glimmer of hope amid Trump 2.0's dominance in Washington that has expanded to other parts of the country and culture.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Kilmer's passing comes after years of public and private health struggles, most notably his long battle with throat cancer.
    — Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of battle
Noun
  • The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war and challenged Canada’s sovereignty.
    — Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
  • What to know about Defense Secretary amid leak of war plans The Associated Press reported in 2021 that 12 members of the National Guard were removed from Biden's swearing-in ceremony because of concerns about ties to extremist groups.
    — James Powel, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of war
Noun
  • Defense stocks have typically been excluded from portfolios based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors due to ethical concerns over the sector’s association with warfare.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The Time for Action Is Now Every new era of warfare demands institutional reinvention.
    — Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of warfare

Browse Nearby Words

striding
strife
strifes
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Cite this Entry

“Strife.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strife. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on strife

Nglish: Translation of strife for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about strife

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