wartime

noun

war·​time ˈwȯr-ˌtīm How to pronounce wartime (audio)
often attributive
: a period during which a war is in progress
rationing during wartime

Examples of wartime in a Sentence

Many goods were rationed during wartime.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The look and feel owes an obvious debt to the beloved films of Studio Ghibli, which have offered some of the most iconic representations of wartime Japan and its long, fraught recovery period. Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 July 2025 Trump has also invoked military powers usually reserved for wartime, declaring that Biden-era immigration policies facilitated an invasion. Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 22 June 2025 Analysts discovered previous wartime maps and postwar records mislabeled the hill where Rowe and others died. Kairi Lowery, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025 Trump has reportedly curtailed that front-end review, leaving government lawyers to defend controversial claims of powers granted to the President only in extreme circumstances, like wartime. Eric Cortellessa, Time, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for wartime

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wartime was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Wartime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wartime. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

wartime

noun
war·​time ˈwȯ(ə)r-ˌtīm How to pronounce wartime (audio)
: a period when a war is going on

More from Merriam-Webster on wartime

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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