often attributive
1
a(1)
: a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations
(2)
: a period of such armed conflict
(3)
b
: the art or science of warfare
c(1)
obsolete
: weapons and equipment for war
(2)
archaic
: soldiers armed and equipped for war
2
a
: a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism
b
: a struggle or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end
a class war
a war against disease
c
warred; warring
Examples of war in a Sentence
Noun
They fought a war over the disputed territory.
A war broke out when the colonists demanded their independence.
We need to resolve our conflicts without resorting to war.
People behave differently during a time of war.
The taking of American hostages was seen as an act of war by the United States.
the budget wars in Washington
Verb (1)
continually warring against their neighbors in an effort to expand their territory
Recent Examples on the Web
Helen Regan, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
The game is a first-person shooter that typically takes place in real-life war settings, like WWII and the Cold War; the series as a whole has sold over 500 million copies.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
These seemingly include greasing the wheels for other deals with his administration and installing executives favorable to the President and his culture wars agenda.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for war
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Decisions made in Gyeongju are non-binding — and leaders have faced difficulty reaching consensus in the past including on thorny issues like Russia’s war in Ukraine.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
The game is a first-person shooter that typically takes place in real-life war settings, like WWII and the Cold War; the series as a whole has sold over 500 million copies.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
Onondaga Lake is revered as the place where a figure known as the Peacemaker, helped by Onondaga leader Hiawatha, brought the warring nations of Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca and Onondaga to form the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, also known as the Iroquois Confederacy.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
These seemingly include greasing the wheels for other deals with his administration and installing executives favorable to the President and his culture wars agenda.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for war
Cite this Entry
“War.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/war. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
war
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a state or period of armed hostile conflict between states, nations, or groups
b
: the science of warfare
2
a
: a state of hostility, antagonism, or conflict
b
: a struggle between opposing forces or for a particular goal
a war on disease
war
2 of 2 verb
warred; warring
1
: to engage in warfare
warring nations
2
: to be in conflict
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