war power
noun
: the power to make war
specifically
: an extraordinary power exercised usually by the executive branch of a government in the prosecution of a war
Examples of war power in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Capitol Hill, Republican lawmakers have drafted a broad authorization for the use of military force against cartels — echoing the war powers Congress gave former President George W. Bush before the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
—
Emiliano Rodríguez Mega, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2023
In that case, Youngstown Sheet and Tube v. Sawyer, the court held that even in times of war, the war power did not justify the seizure of a private industry without the approval of Congress.
—Thomas Geoghegan, The New Republic, 8 May 2023
President Donald Trump's administration cited the 2002 Iraq war resolution as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani, but the two war powers resolutions have otherwise rarely been used as the basis for any presidential action.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, ajc, 30 Mar. 2023
The vote seeks to return a basic war power to Congress and close a chapter on an invasion many lawmakers now consider a mistake.
—Harold Maass, The Week, 30 Mar. 2023
The Senate is poised to vote Wednesday to repeal the 2002 measure that greenlighted the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, which would end more than 20 years of authorization for U.S. presidents to use force in that country and return those war powers to Congress.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2023
President Donald Trump’s administration cited the 2002 Iraq war resolution as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani, but the two war powers resolutions have otherwise rarely been used as the basis for any presidential action.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Mar. 2023
The Senate voted Wednesday to repeal the resolution that gave a green light for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a bipartisan effort to return a basic war power to Congress 20 years after an authorization many now view as a mistake.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2023
Some hard-right Republicans in that chamber appear to favor, at least philosophically, returning war powers to Congress.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2023
See More
Emiliano Rodríguez Mega, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2023
In that case, Youngstown Sheet and Tube v. Sawyer, the court held that even in times of war, the war power did not justify the seizure of a private industry without the approval of Congress.
—Thomas Geoghegan, The New Republic, 8 May 2023
President Donald Trump's administration cited the 2002 Iraq war resolution as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani, but the two war powers resolutions have otherwise rarely been used as the basis for any presidential action.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, ajc, 30 Mar. 2023
The vote seeks to return a basic war power to Congress and close a chapter on an invasion many lawmakers now consider a mistake.
—Harold Maass, The Week, 30 Mar. 2023
The Senate is poised to vote Wednesday to repeal the 2002 measure that greenlighted the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, which would end more than 20 years of authorization for U.S. presidents to use force in that country and return those war powers to Congress.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2023
President Donald Trump’s administration cited the 2002 Iraq war resolution as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani, but the two war powers resolutions have otherwise rarely been used as the basis for any presidential action.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Mar. 2023
The Senate voted Wednesday to repeal the resolution that gave a green light for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a bipartisan effort to return a basic war power to Congress 20 years after an authorization many now view as a mistake.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2023
Some hard-right Republicans in that chamber appear to favor, at least philosophically, returning war powers to Congress.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'war power.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1766, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“War power.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/war%20power. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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