Widerstreiten

Widerstreiten is a German verb meaning to be in opposition, to clash, or to dispute. It is used in formal or literary styles to indicate that two or more elements are not compatible or do not agree with one another. The prefix wider- carries the sense of against or in opposition, combined with streiten, which means to quarrel or argue. The verb can be used reflexively or with a pronoun to express mutual opposition, for example, die Ansichten widerstreiten sich or die Theorien widerstreiten einander.

The related noun Widerstreit denotes a state or instance of disagreement or conflict between ideas, theories, opinions, or factions. For instance, man could speak of the widerstreit der Auffassungen or eines politischen Widerstreits. The term is common in philosophical, historical, or analytical writing when describing incompatible positions or the friction between competing claims.

Usage notes: Widerstreiten is less common in everyday speech than synonyms such as widersprechen (to contradict) or sich widersprechen (to contradict oneself). It often appears in formal, scholarly, or literary contexts to emphasize structural or conceptual incompatibilities rather than a single explicit contradiction.

See also: Widerspruch, widersprechen, widersprüchlich, Konflikt, Gegensatz.