# turf war

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/turf-war
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.

## Examples

- The two departments are having a turf war over the new office space.
- The two neighbors start a turf war over the shared driveway.
- The siblings have a turf war over the biggest bedroom.
- The sales and marketing teams are in a constant turf war over which group controls the budget for social media ads.
- Local street food vendors are caught in a turf war regarding who has the right to park their trucks near the park entrance.
- The IT department and the operations team are locked in a turf war about who manages the new server hardware.
- What began as a minor disagreement between the two regional managers quickly escalated into a bitter turf war that threatened the stability of the entire organization.

## Origin

The phrase is said to be a reference to the game of American football, where opposing teams confront one another on a field of grass or turf. While it is a popular theory for the origin of the term, the connection remains unproven. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.