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 But suffice it to say the battle serves as one of the deadliest and most defining confrontations of the Targaryen civil war, permanently shifting the balance of power as the Dance of Dragons careens toward its fiery end. — Megan McCluskey, Time, 20 July 2026 To this day, neither government formally recognizes the other and no peace treaty to end the civil war or armistice has ever been ⁠signed. — Reuters, NBC news, 19 July 2026 These flows could turn out to be crucial for Syria, which is seeking to emerge from the impact of the civil war. — Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 18 July 2026 Compounding this, Sudan's civil war, fueled by gold and a battle for its Red Sea coastline, adds a third layer of instability. — Frank Ahrens, Forbes.com, 17 July 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
  • But the Iran war has taken Qatar and UAE out of the market for a time, and this represents 16% of worldwide liquefaction.
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Another constituent and her family fled to Delaware after a gang war broke out in Haiti following the assassination of President Jovene Moise in 2021.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The report, based on in-depth interviews with single-family office principals and CIOs across North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America, captures a generational cold war playing out inside the world’s most secretive financial institutions.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 June 2026
  • Ahead of season 3, EW has launched three motion covers, each one starring a contender for the crown — as the show's cold war escalates into literal dragon fire.
    — Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026
Definition of cold war
Noun
  • Louis' boxing matches with Schmeling were viewed as pivotal international events in the context of the brewing world war with Nazi Germany.
    — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026
  • Horkheimer, amid the wreckage of world war, lost faith in progress; his dialectic negated one construct after another.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Definition of world war
Noun
  • The Iranian military fired six missiles on Jordan today, according to the Jordan Armed Forces, as the regional conflict expands.
    — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Lario stressed that hunger and conflict often reinforce one another, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without greater stability.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Commentary and opinions Bass clears the first hurdle, but if Pratt holds off Raman, the mayoral race could be a holy war, writes columnist Steve Lopez.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
  • Khomeini demonized the United States and Soviet Union as the Iran-Iraq holy war raged during much of his tenure.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 19 May 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 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on civil war

Nglish: Translation of civil war for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civil war

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