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warfare

warfare

82 5.0
Groups or companies compete strongly to gain power
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔrˌfɛr/
translation icon : lucha
  • In the digital age, information can be weaponized, leading to a new form of warfare that doesn't involve traditional combat.
  • class warfare
  • political warfare
  • information warfare

This is come down to the simple deep warfare in one's head.

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Examples

  • That, sir, is real class warfare.

  • Economic sanctions, economic warfare, another important part.

  • It's basically like warfare, but with words.

  • Someone getting better at warfare is improving their skills.

  • For years, men have used sports or warfare as a metaphor to describe business.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • I've been saying that I think that warfare is changing.

  • It was the largest battle fought in the history of modern warfare.

  • Psychological warfare during the Cold War that played on the public's fear of nuclear weapons.

    Academic text (1999)
  • And hopefully it will increase everyone's understanding and awareness of how European warfare was conducted.

  • By extension, the Cold War can be defined as warfare by other (non-lethal) means.

    Academic text (1992)

Synonyms

fight
vswarfare
1.0

A physical struggle between people or groups, like a boxing match

is broader covering organized competition beyond single contests or physical clashes
battle
vswarfare
1.4

A violent fight between armed groups in a war

is a general term for struggle that may be nonphysical or competitive
war
vswarfare
2.9

A public effort to fight a problem like drugs or disease

is a general term for active struggle across physical or nonphysical contexts
combat
vswarfare
854 3.5

A fight between soldiers or armed groups in a war

is broader covering organized competition beyond battlefield fights
conflict
vswarfare
514 2.7

A violent fight between armed groups in a war

is broader including competitive or nonphysical struggles between any entities
military action
vswarfare
105 3.7

An action by soldiers that involves fighting

is a wider term for struggle not limited to military operations
engagement
vswarfare
  • Specialized
61 7.1

A fight between armed groups during a war

is broader applying to competition not only military confrontations
strife
vswarfare
58 6.6

Serious disagreement and fighting among people

is a more neutral term for active competition not focused on anger
state of war
vswarfare
  • Formal
9 6.2

An official condition declared by governments when rules of war apply

is a broader term for active struggle not limited to legal national status
belligerency
vswarfare
  • Specialized
1 9.4

A situation when a country or group fights in a war

is a general idea of active struggle not limited to legal or formal states
warfighting
vswarfare
  • Specialized
1 7.9

The act of fighting in a war

is a conceptual term for struggle that includes nonmilitary competition
hostilities
vswarfare
  • Formal
1 7.4

Fighting between two countries or groups during a war

is broader covering any active struggle that may be nonphysical or competitive
armed combat
vswarfare
1 4.9

A fight between soldiers or military groups using weapons

is broader including nonweapon struggles or symbolic competition

Antonyms

1.0

A calm, friendly relationship between people or groups without argument

443 2.5

Working together with other people to reach a common goal

Compounds

24 6.4

Conflict between rich and working people over money and power

chemical warfare
  • Specialized
12 5.6

The use of poisonous chemicals as weapons to kill or hurt people

10 6.1

Using germs or poisons as weapons to harm people, animals and plants and contaminate food and water

psychological warfare
  • Specialized
8 7.0

To use false information, threats, and messages to make an enemy feel afraid and weak in war and politics

Fighting by small mobile groups using hit-and-run attacks against larger armies in enemy territory

4 6.8

The use of bacteria or viruses to make people sick on purpose during war

information warfare
  • Specialized
2 6.7

To use information and computers to gain an advantage in war or politics

trench warfare
  • Specialized
2 6.5

A way of fighting where soldiers attack, defend, and live in long trenches facing each other

electronic warfare
  • Specialized
1 7.7

Military use of radio and other signals to find, block, or confuse enemy equipment

1 7.0

A part of the navy that carries out secret, dangerous missions at sea and on land

A long slow struggle where neither side can win or make much progress

4.8

Actions and plans to protect people and places from attacks using harmful germs

Actions that use electronic signals to find enemy radar or radio and help commanders spot immediate threats

ecological warfare
  • Offensive
9.6

Planned actions that harm nature to achieve political goals

9.8

Violent attacks to help environmental activists reach political goals

To use germs as weapons to make people sick or die

A main United States Navy group that designs and tests aircraft and missiles

A U.S. Navy center that develops and tests weapons and systems for ships

A U.S. Navy agency that gives technical help for submarines and weapons used under the sea

How Intense

warfare
82 5.0
struggle
466 3.2
rivalry
102 2.8
competition
217 2.1

Surface Forms

warfare singular
warfares plural

Morphology

warfare = war + fare (semi-transparent) = war + fare

The sense is a metaphorical extension of 'war' combined with 'fare'; the metaphor is understandable but relies on figurative usage beyond the literal components.

Etymology

Warfare can also be used for strong competition because war means 'fight' and fare means 'the way something happens'. So warfare can describe the tactics and struggle between rivals in politics or business.