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

The electorate was on edge, with fears that a civil war was inevitable. —Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025

Syria's civil war ended in December when al-Sharaa and a band of rebel fighters overthrew the government of strongman Bashar al-Assad. —Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 17 May 2025

The country's economy has been struggling since its civil war and the ousting of the Assad regime. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 May 2025

Given the interest directed toward Syria from a number of regional countries and global powers since the end of the civil war, Trump’s proposal to lift sanctions on the country goes beyond its borders. —Callum Sutherland, Time, 14 May 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