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 That was when the negotiations were headed by Jimmy Morales, the Levine Cava deputy who was forced out in June over friction with the mayor over how much Miami-Dade should pay to acquire a fuel depot for PortMiami. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 Even the firmest dough block will soften quickly under the friction of the rolling pin and the heat of your hands. — Melissa Weller, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026 Its mobile years that followed were marked by friction with the platform owners, some of it self-inflicted. — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 The partnership between Firefly, a new space company, and Northrop, a traditional space company, is also likely to produce some friction. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 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
  • Once the wicker creation proves far more extraordinary, discord and jealousy upset the fisherwoman’s quiet village.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Dolan was right that distractions can trip up a team, sowing just enough discord among its players to derail their chances at another title, and cut short their fans' chances at another joyous summer.
    — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • The core elements—airy melodies, drug talk, copious ad-libs—are old hat, but frank tales of suburban ennui and romantic strife give the Minneapolis rapper’s latest album a refreshingly personal air.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • There have been reports of internal strife at the London bureau at CBS News over the tone of its Middle East coverage since Bari Weiss, a strong supporter of Israel, took over as the network’s editor in chief last year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • The vote, which had been scheduled for last week, was delayed after two days of deliberations because of growing wariness among Egyptians concerned about an intervention in Yemen's long-running conflict.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The risk of conflict is growing and the threat to the international economy is severe.
    — Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • And so my conversation with Noah centered on the idea of a space where there would be a discordance between what the physical space looked like and what was happening emotionally in that room.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of discordance
Noun
  • While Healey is expected to let a reduction in his fiscal buffer do most of the work on the basis that the Iran war has blown a hole in his accounts, tax increases are still likely.
    — Ian King, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In March, the Pentagon reportedly began shipping Patriot and THAAD components from South Korea to the Middle East to support the Iran war.
    — Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The church has lost about a quarter of its churches in the schism.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
  • One schism Hagar would like to repair, of course, is with former bandmate Alex Van Halen.
    — Gary Graff, Billboard, 13 Oct. 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
  • During the first years of the war, Russia’s nuclear muscle flexing and hybrid warfare failed to prevent Ukraine’s allies from funneling financial support, military aid, and targeting intelligence to Kyiv.
    — Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Russian electronic warfare may have diverted the drone during a Ukrainian operation against legitimate military targets in Russia, ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said in a statement.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of warfare

Browse Nearby Words

fricassees
friction
frictionless
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Cite this Entry

“Friction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/friction. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about friction

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