war of words
Heated verbal exchange
A war of words is a prolonged exchange of hostile statements between opposing parties—politicians, nations, celebrities, or rivals trading accusations and counterattacks through speeches, press releases, or social media: The two candidates engaged in a bitter war of words over immigration policy.
The phrase emphasizes verbal combat as distinct from physical conflict.
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
- polemicAggressive argumentative discourse
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
- quarrelAngry verbal dispute
- pamphleteeringDistributing short printed arguments
clash · mudslinging · slanging match · debate · contention · repartee · back and forth · invective · verbal sparring · propaganda · verbal assault · rejoinder · rhetoric · spat · exchange · rebuttal · bickering · controversy
- combat idiomsstab in the back, dodge a bullet, in the crosshairs, fire away, take a shot
- disputesargument, beef, bicker, clash, conflict
- verbal fightsargument, quarrel, dispute, confrontation, shouting match
- word phrasesword for word, take my word, in a word, word of mouth, word to the wise
- controversiescontroversy, dispute, scandal, outcry, outrage
- fightsfight, brawl, scuffle, scrap, tussle
war of wordsarmed conflict
Military combat between groups
shooting war · hot war · warfare · military conflict · violence
war of wordspeace
Freedom from disturbance
harmony · agreement · accord · reconciliation · concord
war of wordscivil discourse
Respectful exchange of views
friendly exchange · meeting of minds · lovefest · love-in · consensus-building