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
Humble beginnings Menjívar arrived undocumented in the United States at age 18, fleeing a bloody civil war in El Salvador, stowed away in a car to avoid detection at the border.
—
Max Saltman, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
Despite the focus on the Middle East, the leaders took up major regional flash points, including the South China Sea territorial disputes involving Beijing, a five-year civil war in Myanmar and a recent border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
—Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
The children’s books, which largely attribute poverty in Vietnam to its communist government, also simplify history to play up communist aggression in the civil war—while omitting the extensive role that the United States military played in the conflict.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil war
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Max Saltman, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
Despite the focus on the Middle East, the leaders took up major regional flash points, including the South China Sea territorial disputes involving Beijing, a five-year civil war in Myanmar and a recent border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
—Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
The children’s books, which largely attribute poverty in Vietnam to its communist government, also simplify history to play up communist aggression in the civil war—while omitting the extensive role that the United States military played in the conflict.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 7 May 2026
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 13 May. 2026.
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