world war
noun
: a war engaged in by all or most of the principal nations of the world
especially,
World War
: either of two such wars of the first half of the 20th century
Examples of world war in a Sentence
He fought in both World Wars.
The nations were prepared for world war.
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump’s stance in Venezuela is consistent with a geopolitics based on raw power and spheres of influence—the very sort that produced two world wars in the 20th century.
—
Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
Through two world wars, a Great Depression, and social upheaval, booms and busts, California endured.
—Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Great-power rivalries and resistance from the colonized destabilized the system, producing two world wars that killed more than 80 million people.
—Peter Kornbluh, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Has the Korean War stirred the same emotional responses as the two world wars?
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for world war
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Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
Through two world wars, a Great Depression, and social upheaval, booms and busts, California endured.
—Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Great-power rivalries and resistance from the colonized destabilized the system, producing two world wars that killed more than 80 million people.
—Peter Kornbluh, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Has the Korean War stirred the same emotional responses as the two world wars?
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for world war
Cite this Entry
“World war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/world%20war. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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