warfare

noun

war·​fare ˈwȯr-ˌfer How to pronounce warfare (audio)
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

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
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.
Across the border from Kursk, in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region, Ukrainian soldiers who battled those soldiers described how the North Koreans went from suffering massive losses to learning electronic warfare. Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 16 June 2025 Radical, often foreign jihadists still make up a significant portion of the armed forces, ISIS is resurgent, former Assad loyalists remain dissatisfied, the economy is nonexistent from 13 years of warfare, and countless sectarian divisions threaten to rupture at any moment. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 15 June 2025 Ukraine has transformed the landscape of modern warfare in several significant ways, offering lessons not just in military tactics but also in societal resilience, digital innovation, and global alliances. MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025 Advertisement Rashid was key in the operations of Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme, mostly consisting of the use of drones in warfare. Callum Sutherland, Time, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for warfare

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from werre, warre war + fare journey, passage — more at fare

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Warfare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warfare. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

warfare

noun
war·​fare ˈwȯr-ˌfa(ə)r How to pronounce warfare (audio)
-ˌfe(ə)r
1
a
: military fighting between enemies : war
b
: activity undertaken by one country or group to weaken or destroy another
economic warfare
2
: a struggle between competitors : conflict
industrial warfare

More from Merriam-Webster on warfare

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!