biological warfare
noun
: warfare involving the use of biological weapons
also
: warfare involving the use of herbicides
Examples of biological warfare in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Army Dispersion Tests Throughout the nuclear arms race of the 1950s and 60s, the US military feared an enemy attack using biological warfare, according to online government records.
—
Justin Gamble, CNN, 15 Oct. 2023
History of biological warfare: catapults to capsomers.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2013
Disguised as an epidemic prevention and water purification department, the unit functioned through the end of the war as a testing ground for agents of biological warfare.
—Emily Langer, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2023
Worryingly, Russia has also threatened to break the taboo on the first use of nuclear weapons and has the capability to carry out chemical and biological warfare.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 12 June 2023
With regard to biological warfare the renunciation was unilateral and unequivocal.
—Daniel C. Schlenoff, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2020
Requisitioned from farmers, blitzed with anthrax-laden bombs in the 1940s, and made inhospitable to human and animal life for decades, the tiny Scottish island of Gruinard now serves as home to a flock of healthy sheep and a disreputable monument to the birth of biological warfare.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2017
Although the risk is low for some nefarious outcome, like introducing an exotic species in the United States or some form of biological warfare, recipients of the mailings should not plant the seeds, said Art Gover, a plant science researcher at Penn State University.
—Allyson Waller, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Aug. 2020
But all intelligence agencies agree COVID-19 wasn't the result of biological warfare, according to the Wall Street Journal.
—Candy Woodall, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2023
See More
Justin Gamble, CNN, 15 Oct. 2023
History of biological warfare: catapults to capsomers.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2013
Disguised as an epidemic prevention and water purification department, the unit functioned through the end of the war as a testing ground for agents of biological warfare.
—Emily Langer, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2023
Worryingly, Russia has also threatened to break the taboo on the first use of nuclear weapons and has the capability to carry out chemical and biological warfare.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 12 June 2023
With regard to biological warfare the renunciation was unilateral and unequivocal.
—Daniel C. Schlenoff, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2020
Requisitioned from farmers, blitzed with anthrax-laden bombs in the 1940s, and made inhospitable to human and animal life for decades, the tiny Scottish island of Gruinard now serves as home to a flock of healthy sheep and a disreputable monument to the birth of biological warfare.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2017
Although the risk is low for some nefarious outcome, like introducing an exotic species in the United States or some form of biological warfare, recipients of the mailings should not plant the seeds, said Art Gover, a plant science researcher at Penn State University.
—Allyson Waller, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Aug. 2020
But all intelligence agencies agree COVID-19 wasn't the result of biological warfare, according to the Wall Street Journal.
—Candy Woodall, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'biological warfare.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1921, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of biological warfare was
in 1921
Dictionary Entries Near biological warfare
Cite this Entry
“Biological warfare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biological%20warfare. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
biological warfare
noun
: warfare involving the use of biological weapons
Medical Definition
biological warfare
noun
biological war·fare
-ˈwȯr-ˌfa(ə)r, -ˌfe(ə)r 
: warfare involving the use of biological weapons
also
: warfare involving the use of herbicides
More from Merriam-Webster on biological warfare
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about biological warfare
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