friction

noun

ˈfrik-shən How to pronounce friction (audio)
Definition of frictionnext
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony there was friction between the two sides of the family

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 friction His decision to make AlphaFold widely available at no cost had reportedly caused friction inside Google, where the breakthrough brought prestige but little direct revenue. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 Chinese tech giant ByteDance’s founder reportedly forbade AI researchers from distilling rival models, as scrutiny of the practice causes friction between Washington and Beijing. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 6 Aug. 2026 But summer can bring a different set of challenges, from sweat and friction to sunburns. — Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 6 Aug. 2026 This could create friction with firms that receive low grades—but because the Sports Traders Union comprises mostly bettors, Rose-Berman hopes the group will have a level of credibility that cannot be easily brushed aside. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for friction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for friction
  1. discord
  2. strife
  3. conflict
  4. discordance
  5. war
  6. schism
  7. discordancy
  8. warfare
Noun
  • Meena said his contract was terminated prematurely, a dispute highlighting internal discord.
    — Catherine Muccigrosso July 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026
  • But mounting turmoil and discord have been a part of this transformative period that has featured a landmark collective bargaining agreement, league expansion and skyrocketing player recognition.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • The rare interview comes a few months after reports of marital strife between Edo and Beatrice, 37, who tied the knot in 2020.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The prospect of labor strife looms over the rest of this Padres/MLB season, what with the labor pact due to expire in December and both sides already drawing bright red lines in public statements.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • The annual Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic will kick off sooner than usual to accommodate booking conflicts with Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The film could use a few more such colorful secondary strands adjoining the main conflict, though one subplot involving a maybe-romance between two jaded journalists assigned to the summit is oddly framed and abruptly dropped.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Part of that discordance might be the fact that as a genre, rock has historically been difficult to define.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Nov. 2025
  • The songs bounce from discordance and disorientation to harmoniousness and repose — even in the uneasy moments, the songs don't sink.
    — Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Definition of discordance
Noun
  • But last year, their relationship blew up amid a turf war over CPS employees.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • While pursuing conservative, anti-migrant policies domestically, Meloni adopted a pragmatic approach toward the European Union and became one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters in its war against Russia.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The lasting schism among religious groups would ultimately be linked to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi (1948) and that of Indira Gandhi (1984).
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • But the Kirtland church community soon experienced schisms and conflicts over doctrine, money and authority.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of schism
Noun
  • The discordancy is so intriguing — like learning that Katharine Graham went to nude encounter sessions at Esalen, or Alan Greenspan was once in a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021
Definition of discordancy
Noun
  • Confronting unpredictable adversaries well-versed in asymmetrical warfare from three directions is a military planner’s nightmare.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Real life is much tougher than fictional TV representations of drone warfare like this exciting but unrealistic sequence in Lioness.
    — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of warfare

Browse Nearby Words

fricassees
friction
frictionless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Friction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/friction. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on friction

Nglish: Translation of friction for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about friction

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