war zone

noun

1

: a zone in which belligerents are waging war

broadly : an area marked by extreme violence

2

: a designated area especially on the high seas within which rights of neutrals are not respected by a belligerent nation in time of war

Examples of war zone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

So many of the adults who held our communities together have been lost to mass incarceration, to addictions—diseases of despair—as drugs have replaced jobs and hope in our neighborhoods, often turning them into war zones. —Asha Bandele, Essence, 25 June 2025

Since 13 June, tanker underwriters have priced the region as an active war zone. —Guney Yildiz, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

The Kremlin, however, has denied the allegations, saying the children were taken out of war zones for their own protection. —Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 19 June 2025

Republicans and California Republicans relentlessly painted the city this week as an out of control war zone governed by hapless liberals. —David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for war zone

• alone
• atone
• backbone
• bemoan
• bluestone
• breastbone
• brownstone
• capstone
• cheekbone
• condone
• curbstone
• cyclone