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

For much of Sudan’s civil war, which began more than three years ago, civilians feared the fighting on the ground. — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

To this day, neither government formally recognizes the other and no peace treaty to end the civil war or armistice has ever been ⁠signed. — Reuters, NBC news, 19 July 2026

These flows could turn out to be crucial for Syria, which is seeking to emerge from the impact of the civil war. — Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 18 July 2026

Compounding this, Sudan's civil war, fueled by gold and a battle for its Red Sea coastline, adds a third layer of instability. — Frank Ahrens, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for civil war

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

Kids Definition

civil war

noun

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