state of war
noun phrase
1
a
: a state of actual armed hostilities regardless of a formal declaration of war
b
: a legal state created and ended by official declaration regardless of actual armed hostilities and usually characterized by operation of the rules of war
2
: the period of time during which a state of war is in effect
Examples of state of war in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In states of war and other political conflicts, nation-states and their hacktivist allies often target those on the opposing side.
—
Carlos Morales, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
As Ukrainians contemplate living in a state of war for years to come, their capacity to fight will depend even more on their ability to defend and strengthen the complex social and political bonds that have kept them and their government united.
—Nataliya Gumenyuk, Foreign Affairs, 29 Aug. 2025
The situation has intensified and could escalate into a state of war.
—Shoon Naing, USA Today, 25 July 2025
Because Korean War hostilities ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty, the neighbors technically remain in a state of war.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
And the real telltale sign was the fact that ... the Islamic Republic has never officially entered a state of war.
—Natasha Turak, CNBC, 24 June 2025
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Carlos Morales, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
As Ukrainians contemplate living in a state of war for years to come, their capacity to fight will depend even more on their ability to defend and strengthen the complex social and political bonds that have kept them and their government united.
—Nataliya Gumenyuk, Foreign Affairs, 29 Aug. 2025
The situation has intensified and could escalate into a state of war.
—Shoon Naing, USA Today, 25 July 2025
Because Korean War hostilities ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty, the neighbors technically remain in a state of war.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
And the real telltale sign was the fact that ... the Islamic Republic has never officially entered a state of war.
—Natasha Turak, CNBC, 24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“State of war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/state%20of%20war. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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