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
Constitutional role of Congress The framers gave the Congress the power to appropriate funds, to declare war and levy taxes, like tariffs.
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Sam Gringlas, NPR, 9 Dec. 2025
The United States would declare war on Japan the next day, marking the country’s entrance into World War II.
—Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mercury News, 11 Nov. 2025
And if that’s true, what would prohibit Congress from just abdicating all responsibility to regulate foreign commerce, for that matter, declare war, to the president.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Article 1 of the Constitution specifically gives Congress the power to declare war.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for declare war
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Sam Gringlas, NPR, 9 Dec. 2025
The United States would declare war on Japan the next day, marking the country’s entrance into World War II.
—Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mercury News, 11 Nov. 2025
And if that’s true, what would prohibit Congress from just abdicating all responsibility to regulate foreign commerce, for that matter, declare war, to the president.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Article 1 of the Constitution specifically gives Congress the power to declare war.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 28 Oct. 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 17 Dec. 2025.
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