war of words
noun phrase
: an argument in which people or groups criticize and disagree with each other publicly and repeatedly for usually a long time
Rival groups have engaged in a war of words over the new law.
Examples of war of words in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Meghan Markle's spokesperson has been locked in a war of words with the over her father Thomas Markle's ill health—one month out from a major lawsuit.
—
Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Up next may be a war of words to convince shareholders, Wall Street, Hollywood stakeholders and government regulators who may be the best suitor for Warner Bros.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 8 Dec. 2025
Now, the war of words, escalating into a criminal investigation, and a county supervisor's safety concerns.
—Steve Large, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
Wingtech-Nexperia war of words heats up.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for war of words
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Up next may be a war of words to convince shareholders, Wall Street, Hollywood stakeholders and government regulators who may be the best suitor for Warner Bros.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 8 Dec. 2025
Now, the war of words, escalating into a criminal investigation, and a county supervisor's safety concerns.
—Steve Large, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
Wingtech-Nexperia war of words heats up.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for war of words
Cite this Entry
“War of words.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/war%20of%20words. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share