as in wars
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 wars
Each of these civil wars ended in peace agreements that paved the way for peaceful elections, yet insecurity and economic woes continue to plague the three nations.
—
Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
All revolutions are ultimately civil wars, right?
—Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2025
Then, back-to-back civil wars in the 1990s and 2000s cratered the economy.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
This week marks a decade since Merkel’s historic decision to open her country’s borders to the large numbers of migrants who were then arriving in Europe in search of refuge from civil wars or dire economic hardship.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
In the 20th century, China was devastated by civil wars, Japanese occupation, and then very bad policies which led to low productivity and widespread famine.
—Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
All revolutions are ultimately civil wars, right?
—Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2025
Then, back-to-back civil wars in the 1990s and 2000s cratered the economy.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
This week marks a decade since Merkel’s historic decision to open her country’s borders to the large numbers of migrants who were then arriving in Europe in search of refuge from civil wars or dire economic hardship.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
In the 20th century, China was devastated by civil wars, Japanese occupation, and then very bad policies which led to low productivity and widespread famine.
—Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil wars
Noun
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Although fertility trends are notoriously hard to predict, and baby booms are often seen after wars end, Ippolitova said the country's low fertility rate could still trouble the Ukrainian economy in the future.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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To capitalize on this yearning for tradition, and to bind sumo’s fortunes to the state, the sport’s governing body aligned itself with the rising tide of nationalism that took hold of Japan after its victories in wars against the Chinese and the Russians.—
Joshua Hunt,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After the king attempted to arrest lawmakers in the House of Commons in 1642, hostilities erupted into the English Civil War, which ended with victory for the parliamentary forces of Oliver Cromwell.—
Danica Kirka,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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Israel’s ability to weaken major non-state actors aligned with Tehran, including Lebanese Hezbollah and Gaza’s Hamas, opened the door for direct hostilities between the two archrivals.—
Alexander Langlois,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rapid Rehousing also teaches students about managing personal finances, understanding lease agreements, handling roommate conflicts, and planning for housing after graduation.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
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As the play weaves through time, the focuses on the actions done for the benefit of Joe’s family, and his wife Kate’s moral compass, creating brutal conflicts.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Civil wars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20wars. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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