# strife

> English word · Noun · IPA /stɹaɪf/ · frequency rank #17,254

## Definitions
1. Striving; earnest endeavor; hard work.
2. Exertion or contention for superiority, either by physical or intellectual means.
3. Bitter conflict, sometimes violent.
4. A trouble of any kind.
5. That which is contended against; occasion of contest.

## Etymology
From Middle English strif, stryf, striffe, from Old French estrif, noun derived from estriver, from Frankish *strīban; compare Dutch strijven. More at strive.

## Easily confused with
- **strip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-strip)
- **strike** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-strike)
- **string** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-string)
- **stroke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-stroke)
- **strips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-strips)
- **strive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-strive)
- **stripe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-stripe)
- **strode** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-strode)
- **strobe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-strobe)
- **strove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-strove)
- **strikes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-strikes)
- **striker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-striker)
- **stripes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-stripes)
- **striped** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strife-vs-striped)
- **stiff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stiff-vs-strife)
- **serie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/serie-vs-strife)
- **stipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stipe-vs-strife)
- **serif** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/serif-vs-strife)
- **strict** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-strife)
- **shrine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shrine-vs-strife)

## Common misspellings (9)
`srtife`, `sstrife`, `stirfe`, `strfie`, `strief`, `striffe`, `strrife`, `sttrife`, `tsrife`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/strife