civil war

noun

Definition of civil warnext
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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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 civil war The most striking partnership in the new alliance is between the TPLF and the Fano movement in Amhara, which fought alongside the federal army during the 2020–2022 civil war. — Alemayehu Fentaw Weldemariam, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026 And during the civil wars between King and Parliament that raged across Britain in the 1640s, such ideal stasis was impossible to preserve. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 In the bleak postapocalyptic landscape of Volume III, the governments of the planet have failed to work together to contain the contagion, leading to the breakdown of societies, civil war and anarchy. — Eileen Hunt, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026 The film centers on Layal, who runs a women-only gas station in Yemen which is a safe haven during the country’s civil war. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for civil war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil war
  1. war
  2. cold war
  3. world war
  4. conflict
  5. holy war
  6. limited war
Noun
  • Whether the military was properly prepared for treating its wounded in the current Iran war has become a sharp point of contention.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Dima Putiata, the former Ukrainian soldier, says what started in this war has already spread to other conflicts.
    — Greg Myre, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The Saudis, then mired in a regional cold war with Iran, viewed the Houthis as an Iranian proxy force that threatened the kingdom’s borders.
    — Kareem Fahim, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
  • During Wallace and Shakur’s own rift, Knight and Combs’ own cold war simmered and ran even hotter than many initially believed.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of cold war
Noun
  • Born in 1946, in a country recovering from a civil war and a world war, Rodríguez entered a life marked by poverty in the southern Spanish village of Añora.
    — Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • But for the most part, today’s athletes weren’t shaped by the Great Depression and a world war.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of world war
Noun
  • With the whizbang action long in the series’ rearview, this quiet road trip proves its emotional centerpiece, as Noah confesses both his true nature and his desire to be better — the conflict of his programming.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The decision marks a dramatic reversal, after Ethiopian and Eritrean forces united in fighting the TPLF during the previous conflict.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Yet, somehow, the labels jihad, holy war and suicide martyrs are still thrown around.
    — Reshma Memon Yaqub, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Even a local Catholic priest launched a holy war against the school over its new athletic facility.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of holy war
Noun
  • In this scenario, which may already be coming to fruition, the meager hope is that the conflict transforms into simply a more limited war.
    — Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2024
  • Many scholars panned the book, believing its 34-year-old author had overestimated the nation’s ability to keep limited war limited.
    — David E. Sanger, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
Definition of limited war

Browse Nearby Words

civil unions
civil war
civil wars
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Cite this Entry

“Civil war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20war. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on civil war

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civil war

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