FRICTION Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

friction

noun

ˈfrik-shən

Definition of friction

as in discord

a lack of agreement or harmony there was friction between the two sides of the family

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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 Claude Code Head of Product Cat Wu says this friction-free experience eliminates some of the manual grind traditionally associated with software engineering. — Shubham Agarwal, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 If two typical galaxies met in a head-on collision, the dark matter would experience very little friction, or drag, and would keep on rocketing by. — Quanta Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026 The friction causes an electrical shock that burns Clancy, and Lisa steals his keys. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026 During training, the simulation varied parameters such as mass distribution, friction, motor strength, control delays, and sensor noise. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for friction

Recent Examples of Synonyms for friction

Noun

So far, counter-efforts have involved both protectionist and industrial policies, including â€œMade in Europeâ€� rules that have stoked discord among some of Europeâ€™s largest economies.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Officials say one goal of the attacks is to undermine support for Ukraine, spread fear and discord in European societies and drain investigative resources.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of discord

Noun

Soon afterward, the antagonism between Nusra and ISIS spiralled into open conflict.

— Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
To further lessen the risk of future conflict, Washington should also work with its partners to reduce the world’s vulnerability to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

— Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 12 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

Montanans are suffocating due to an affordability crisis, rising fuel prices and an inexplicable war.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
On Monday, Zelenskyy said holding elections in Ukraine was impossible during war time, especially with new Russian tactics involving attacks day and night.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of war

Noun

One schism Hagar would like to repair, of course, is with former bandmate Alex Van Halen.

— Gary Graff, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
This is Kubrick’s modus operandi throughout the film, setting up scenes where furniture moves from shot to shot, wall decorations change, and there are further schisms between Ullman’s exposition and the reality that transpires.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of schism

Noun

Needless to say, the system has to be robust enough to handle battlefield conditions, including electronic warfare and communications blackouts.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
Electronic warfare can create additional challenges for systems that depend on wireless links.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of warfare

Browse Nearby Words

fricassees

friction

frictionless

See all Nearby Words

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“Friction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/friction. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of friction

noun

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