holy war

noun

Synonyms of holy warnext
: a war or violent campaign waged often by religious extremists for what is considered to be a holy purpose

Examples of holy war in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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By the conclusion of the second film, Paul had aligned with the native Fremen people of Arrakis to successfully defeat House Harkonnen and began a holy war against the Empire. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026 Some of these invocations align with Hegseth’s recurring references to the Crusades in the Middle Ages – a centuries-long holy war between Christians and Muslims. Samuel Perry, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026 This approach had a lasting impact, and even centuries after the mainline Crusades to the Holy Land ended, the pope continued to invoke the concept of holy war to justify resistance against the Ottoman Empire and other Muslim entities. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026 Get ready for a 17-year time jump, as Timothée Chalamet's older, more jaded Paul Atreides continues to wrestle with holy war, his messianic status, and the fallout from opting to marry Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) rather than his Fremen girlfriend Chani (Zendaya). Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for holy war

Word History

First Known Use

1639, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of holy war was in 1639

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Cite this Entry

“Holy war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy%20war. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

holy war

noun
: a war or violent campaign carried on for what is considered a holy purpose

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