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 warsthe 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 complex and brutal civil war in her country killed thousands.
—
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
Ambassador Barbara Leaf, who served as assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, visited Damascus and met with Shara in December, becoming the highest-ranking official to meet with Syrian leadership since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.
—Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2025
As king, Shakespeare’s Macbeth meets a tragic end when civil war erupts and his rival Macduff beheads him.
—Marlene L. Daut
september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
This level of cooperation has faded since the turn of the century, as the P5 butted heads repeatedly over issues like the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the civil war in Syria.
—Richard Gowan, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil war
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Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
Ambassador Barbara Leaf, who served as assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, visited Damascus and met with Shara in December, becoming the highest-ranking official to meet with Syrian leadership since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.
—Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2025
As king, Shakespeare’s Macbeth meets a tragic end when civil war erupts and his rival Macduff beheads him.
—Marlene L. Daut
september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
This level of cooperation has faded since the turn of the century, as the P5 butted heads repeatedly over issues like the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the civil war in Syria.
—Richard Gowan, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Cite this Entry
“Civil war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20war. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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