What does "internecine" refer to?

The term "internecine" specifically refers to conflict or struggles that occur within a group, resulting in mutual destruction or harm. This could apply to various contexts, such as political factions, families, or any organization where members are in opposition to each other. The essence of the term captures the idea that members of the same group engage in damaging conflicts, leading to weakened unity or devastating outcomes for all parties involved.

In contrast, the other options represent distinct concepts: a verbal attack describes direct confrontational speech, cunning deceitfulness refers to manipulative behavior aimed at deceiving others for personal gain, and a state of weariness addresses physical or mental fatigue. Each of these alternatives does not encompass the intrinsic mutual destruction aspect central to the meaning of "internecine."