as in war
a a state or period of fighting between groups of people in the same country
a region that has had many civil wars
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Recent Examples of civil war
Decades of strife—the 11-year War of Independence that ended in 1975, which was followed by a civil war that lasted from 1977 to 1992—left the nation decimated.
—
Lisa Grainger, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
The cat rescue started during the Lebanese civil war in the 1980s when animals sought shelter from street fighting in the 1980s on its campus in the downtown Hamra area.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
That desire became more urgent as higher education opportunities dwindled after a civil war broke out in Myanmar.
—Makiya Seminera, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Tucker Carlson says liberal cities such as Minneapolis are pushing America toward disaster and civil war.
—Robert Pape, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Lisa Grainger, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
The cat rescue started during the Lebanese civil war in the 1980s when animals sought shelter from street fighting in the 1980s on its campus in the downtown Hamra area.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
That desire became more urgent as higher education opportunities dwindled after a civil war broke out in Myanmar.
—Makiya Seminera, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Tucker Carlson says liberal cities such as Minneapolis are pushing America toward disaster and civil war.
—Robert Pape, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil war
Noun
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The term of art for this sort of battlefield confusion is fog of war.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
18 Feb. 2026
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At least 77 people were killed and dozens injured in various attacks, mostly by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, in densely populated areas, according to Sudan Doctors Network, a group that tracks violence through the war.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Then, starting in late 2023, three events turned a cold war between the police and the city into an open conflict.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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The world is facing threats not of a cold war or just a trade war, but a capital war where money is being weaponized, according to billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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Philip Noel-Baker’s legacy Eight more Olympics had taken place since Noel-Baker won his silver medal, the games interrupted by yet another world war.—
Amy Crawford,
Popular Science,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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His party successfully capitalized on rising nationalism fueled by a deadly border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia last year, economic woes and uncertainty over Thailand’s trade relationship with the United States, and built up a strong local support base.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Units often operate across wider areas than in past conflicts.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This may not be surprising to some, but the holy war of words playing out in Mayor Mamdani’s new backyard is partly coming from mothers who not long ago held squarely centrist or even liberal beliefs.—
Hannah Seligson,
Vanity Fair,
9 Jan. 2026
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The 76ers’ owner, Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (HBSE), had been in a holy war with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and Comcast over building a standalone NBA arena in Center City.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In contrast, China has made targeted investments intended to give it an advantage in a quick, limited war, while keeping its overall defense spending relatively modest: Beijing’s defense spending has risen from five percent of U.S. levels in 1995 to 32 percent in 2017.—
Oriana Skylar Mastro,
Foreign Affairs,
20 May 2025
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Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in a limited war since last October, but Israeli forces have significantly escalated the scope of their attacks since the beginning of September in an attempt to force Hezbollah to stop its attacks on northern Israel.—
Mike Brest,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
30 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Civil war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20war. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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