warfare
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the activity of fighting a war or a long period of armed conflict.
the act of engaging in or the state of being at war; the general conduct of armed conflict.
Simple“The country has suffered through years of brutal warfare and economic collapse.”
In context“The civilian population bore the brunt of the warfare, as the conflict moved from remote borders into densely populated urban centres.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a particular way of fighting, often named after the tools or tactics used.
military operations characterised by a specific method, environment, or technology.
Simple“The soldiers were trained in jungle warfare before being sent to the tropical region.”
In context“Modern military doctrine has shifted its focus toward cyber warfare, prioritising the protection of digital infrastructure over traditional territorial defence.”
UsageOften used as the second part of a compound noun, such as 'chemical warfare' or 'trench warfare'.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a situation where people or companies compete very strongly and try to hurt each other.
intense conflict or competition between opposing groups that resembles military struggle in its aggression.
Simple“The two tech giants are engaged in a legal warfare over patent rights.”
In context“The boardroom witnessed a form of psychological warfare as the rival executives vied for the support of the remaining shareholders.”
SynonymsAntonyms
“In fact, it was a trend in imperial warfare during the early 20th century, as seen in Nazi Germany’s wartime operations as well.”
“The remarkable discovery exposes a thriving weapons trade network that connected Mediterranean powers during a time of piracy, warfare, and growing demand for military equipment.”
From war + fare; perhaps a shortening of Middle English werre-faringe, werfarynge (“waging war, warfare”, literally “going to war”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.