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
Collins, a 9/11 truther and QAnon convert who sports a black MAGA hat and custom dental fangs, moved to rural Shawmut, Montana, in 2016 to build a bug-out — an off-grid fortress suitable for waiting out a plague or world war — and raise horses with his wife, Starla.
—
Tessa Stuart, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
Then, on April 21, 1942—in the midst of a new world war—Cannes mayor Antoine Blanchardon, a notary public by trade, seized control of the matter.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Sweden hasn’t gone into battle since 1814, staying neutral through two world wars.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
More than 40% of those questioned also said a world war will erupt in the coming 10 years, as more countries will acquire nuclear weapons.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for world war
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Tessa Stuart, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
Then, on April 21, 1942—in the midst of a new world war—Cannes mayor Antoine Blanchardon, a notary public by trade, seized control of the matter.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Sweden hasn’t gone into battle since 1814, staying neutral through two world wars.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
More than 40% of those questioned also said a world war will erupt in the coming 10 years, as more countries will acquire nuclear weapons.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
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 21 Feb. 2026.
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