civil war

noun

plural civil wars

: a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country

a country on the brink of (a) civil war

—often used in the capitalized names of specific wars

the Spanish Civil War

(American/U.S.) Civil War monuments

Note: The American Civil War, fought 1861–1865 between the United States and 11 southern states that had seceded from it, is also commonly known as the U.S. Civil War, or especially in the U.S. as the War Between the States or simply the Civil War.

Examples of civil war in a Sentence

a region that has had many civil wars

The country is on the brink of civil war.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hamas has ruled in Gaza since taking over following a brief civil war with rival faction Fatah, which dominates the PA, in 2007. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025

Anderson's 1996 film depicts her as a mercenary during a second civil war in America. —Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Sep. 2025

Then, back-to-back civil wars in the 1990s and 2000s cratered the economy. —Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025

Regions of Africa and Southern Asia are embroiled in deadly and underreported skirmishes, and areas of Mexico and Haiti are torn by gang violence akin to civil war. —Daniella Walsh, Oc Register, 18 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for civil war

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• blastopore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore

Kids Definition

civil war

noun

: a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country or nation