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 conflicts
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 rivalries
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wars
Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
Following pandemic-era school closures and culture wars, choice proponents have made unprecedented gains at the state and federal levels.
—Jonah Davids, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Also the domestic destabilizing effects of wars in the Middle East.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Such outcomes are typically associated with wars.
—Juan Pablo Spinetto, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
The industry trades teemed with reports of films scoring through-the-roof audience reactions, all-night bidding wars between potential buyers, and coveted seven- or eight-figure distribution deals that sometimes emerged from the fray.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
The horrific killing, attacks, and raids in Minneapolis rightfully overshadowed a weekend intended for buzzy discoveries and bidding wars.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
This is the philosophy behind these wars of choice that the United States embarks upon.
—Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The Rest of the Conversation There was more, on hiring Olympians, free food, sandbagging (not telling the truth) and territorial office wars.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
Alongside the bodies of martyrs from Iran’s past wars, the dusty earth of Behesht-e Zahra cemetery now cradles the remains of protesters killed in January’s protests, the latest conflict to rake Iran’s streets.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
Following pandemic-era school closures and culture wars, choice proponents have made unprecedented gains at the state and federal levels.
—Jonah Davids, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Also the domestic destabilizing effects of wars in the Middle East.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Such outcomes are typically associated with wars.
—Juan Pablo Spinetto, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
The industry trades teemed with reports of films scoring through-the-roof audience reactions, all-night bidding wars between potential buyers, and coveted seven- or eight-figure distribution deals that sometimes emerged from the fray.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
The horrific killing, attacks, and raids in Minneapolis rightfully overshadowed a weekend intended for buzzy discoveries and bidding wars.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
This is the philosophy behind these wars of choice that the United States embarks upon.
—Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The Rest of the Conversation There was more, on hiring Olympians, free food, sandbagging (not telling the truth) and territorial office wars.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wars
Noun
-
Russia's bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Russia’s bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022.—
Kamila Hrabchuk,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Journal editors and professional societies can take early steps by adding a few positionality items to existing disclosure forms for psychedelic work and by asking authors to state briefly how experiential conflicts and role separation were handled in their trials.—
Ian Reardon,
STAT,
2 Feb. 2026
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California’s Department of Housing and Community Development has said previously that the height limit is a development standard that conflicts with density bonus law and has no authority over projects that meet the law’s affordability thresholds.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
So brace yourselves for the regional rivalries.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
28 Jan. 2026
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The San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets will meet again tonight in a matchup that remains one of the NBA's most heated rivalries, even as both franchises enter a rebuilding phase.—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Your self-confidence may take a hit when the Gemini moon battles Saturn.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
More than four years later, Sanchez still battles the emotional fallout.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Starmer’s diplomatic shift appears to mirror that of Canada which signed a trade agreement with China earlier this month following a visit by Carney, as Ottawa appears to diversify trade and investment partners amid persistent frictions with Washington.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Understanding these frictions before adding more exposure can prevent unpleasant surprises later.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After years of struggles with hearing loss, Bonnie Covey's personal story of restoration has helped others with their complications.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
-
For those two teams and the Pacers, the absence of a talented player(s) from the year prior led to their struggles.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The National Immigration Law Center fights in courts and legislatures to protect low-income immigrants, ensuring that civil rights don’t disappear simply because of where someone was born.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
On the outskirts of the crowd, fights broke out between protesters and counter-protesters.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Your dedicated Slack channels, private discords and endless Reddit threads.—
April Uchitel,
Flow Space,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wars. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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