declare war
idiom
: to officially decide to fight or go to war
Congress has the power to declare war on/against other countries.
—often used figurativelyThe state has declared war on illiteracy.
Examples of declare war in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And even though the president of the United States is the commander in chief of the armed forces, the most important decision the U.S. military faces—whether to declare war—ultimately lies outside the chain of command, in the hands of Congress.
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Mara Karlin, Foreign Affairs, 24 Apr. 2025
The Constitution also gave members of Congress the power to declare war.
—Andrew Tisch, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
The attack prompted President Franklin D. Roosevelt to ask Congress to declare war on Japan, which marked the United States' entry into World War II.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2025
Only Congress — not the president — can declare war.
—Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for declare war
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Mara Karlin, Foreign Affairs, 24 Apr. 2025
The Constitution also gave members of Congress the power to declare war.
—Andrew Tisch, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
The attack prompted President Franklin D. Roosevelt to ask Congress to declare war on Japan, which marked the United States' entry into World War II.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2025
Only Congress — not the president — can declare war.
—Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for declare war
Cite this Entry
“Declare war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/declare%20war. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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