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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Each of these civil wars ended in peace agreements that paved the way for peaceful elections, yet insecurity and economic woes continue to plague the three nations. Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025 The Southeast Asian nation is embroiled in a civil war with various ethnic groups fighting the military, creating an almost lawless situation in many parts of the country and allowing scam operations to thrive. Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025 The king’s execution in January 1793 led to civil war throughout much of the nation. Time, 21 Oct. 2025 Now a mosaic museum, it was built in 1910 and was first a private residence and later served as the headquarters for Bank Audi, surviving through Lebanon’s civil war. Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for civil war

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civil war was circa 1533

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Cite this Entry

“Civil war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20war. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

civil war

noun
: a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country or nation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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