1
as in hostilities
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups
the war was the result of ethnic tensions that had been building in the region for decades
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conflict
a lack of agreement or harmony
the siblings always seemed to be at war with one another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in battle
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
only the latest round in the never-ending class war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to fight
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of war
Npr Staff, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026
Diesel, the largest day-to-day expense in trucking, has jumped 41% since the start of the war to a national average of nearly $5.38 a gallon.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2026
If the country had sustained a center and not fallen into warring camps, here is what would have happened in the last year.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for war
Noun
This marks the first time during the Iran war that Israel has faced fire from that country.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026
Diesel, the largest day-to-day expense in trucking, has jumped 41% since the start of the war to a national average of nearly $5.38 a gallon.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
It’s expected to commence once details about Gaza’s governance are hashed out by the warring sides and third-party mediators.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2026
If the country had sustained a center and not fallen into warring camps, here is what would have happened in the last year.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for war
Noun
-
Instead, the outcome might end up along the lines of a no lose/no lose, winding down of hostilities.—
Daniel Kurtzer,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
This past week, Wang hosted his Pakistani counterpart in Beijing to hash out their five-point proposal, calling for an end to hostilities and the reopening of the strait.—
Didi Tang,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But those expectations have since been upended as the Iran conflict has sent shockwaves through the global economy that are unlikely to unravel anytime soon, even if the war is brought to a rapid resolution.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The laws of armed conflict allow attacks on civilian infrastructure only if the military advantage outweighs the civilian harm, legal scholars say.—
Compiled byDemocrat-Gazette stafffrom wire reports,
Arkansas Online,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Three months into faith leaders’ legal battle, they were allowed back inside the facility in February for Ash Wednesday after a court order granted limited access.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In the midst of a restitution battle, records show that Kilpatrick is at risk of losing a home in Novi over more than $50,000 in unpaid property taxes.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
They get captured by Hungarian gangsters and have to fight (and kill) their way out of an inn run by a shady former dance prodigy (Uma Thurman).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Nissie Cadette took the mic and spoke about what an influence Metayer had been on her life, fighting through tears at every word.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The best investing strategy during periods of geopolitical strife is to have no strategy at all, said Jeff Sommer in The New York Times.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Fans have also seemed to pick up on possible strife between Miller, 30, and Batula, who are very close friends on the show.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma’s coaching rivalry has had something for everyone on and off the court.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But there were also rivalries — and who got to control a bigger share of the work was hotly contested.—
Fatma Tanis,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Taunton will be defensively strong and leans on its captains – Joey Benoit (Brown), Corbin Melo (LF), Jeremy Knief and Dylan Keenun (SS) – to help a mostly new group of starters contend.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Whether that amounts to genuine policy momentum or, as critics contend, an elaborate exercise in reputation management may be the defining question of the political economy of the AI age.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The strikes, the latest in an intensifying drone warfare between the army and the RSF, killed 10 people, including seven medical staffers, and injured at least 19 people.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Russia's war in Ukraine has given rise to a new kind of drone warfare.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“War.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/war. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
