Meaning & use
feud
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Meanings
nouncountable
A long, bitter quarrel between people, families, or groups that keeps going over time.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'a' or in the plural: a feud, family feuds.
Patterns
- a feud between someone and someone
- a feud with someone
- a feud over something
The two families have had a feud for generations.
Their feud over the inheritance divided the whole village.
He refused to attend the wedding because of an old feud with his cousin.
verbintransitive
To carry on a long, bitter quarrel with someone over time.
Grammar: No object; often followed by 'with' or 'over': feud with a neighbor, feud over land.
Patterns
- feud with someone
- feud over something
- feud for years
The two brothers have been feuding for years.
The clans feuded over control of the valley.
She is feuding with her former business partner.
Word forms
| plural | feuds |
|---|---|
| third person singular | feuds |
| past tense | feuded |
| past participle | feuded |
| -ing form | feuding |
Common combinations
- family feud
- The family feud started when the will was read.
- long-running feud
- The long-running feud between the two companies ended in court.
- feud over land
- They feuded over land for decades.
- feud with a neighbor
- He is feuding with his neighbor about the fence.
- end a feud
- The two sides finally ended their feud.
Synonyms and how they differ
- quarrel
- A quarrel can be short and less serious; a feud lasts a long time and is more bitter.
- dispute
- A dispute is often about a specific issue and may be settled; a feud is personal and ongoing.
- vendetta
- A vendetta is a feud, especially one involving revenge; it is stronger and more dramatic.
Opposites
Commonly confused: feud or fued?
feud vs fued
A common misspelling; the correct spelling is 'feud'.
Practice
The two families have been ______ over the property for years.
Choose one answer.
'Feuding' is the -ing form used after 'have been' to show an ongoing action. 'Feud' is the base form and does not fit after 'been'; 'feuds' is third-person singular; 'feuded' is past tense and would need 'have' not 'been'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “feud”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.