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
But such a hope was belied by the developments after the cold war ended as civil wars ensued in many parts of the world.
—
Debidatta A. Mahapatra, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
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
Debidatta A. Mahapatra, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil wars
Noun
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One source likened it to Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the beverages industry or McDonald’s and Burger King in the burger wars.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The current conflict is sometimes referred to as the Third Gulf War, but is distinctive from the earlier two wars in important respects, including so far relying on executive authority alone.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Instead, the outcome might end up along the lines of a no lose/no lose, winding down of hostilities.—
Daniel Kurtzer,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
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This past week, Wang hosted his Pakistani counterpart in Beijing to hash out their five-point proposal, calling for an end to hostilities and the reopening of the strait.—
Didi Tang,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But in recent years, the glittering spectacle, meant to celebrate unity, has been overshadowed by global conflicts which have seeped onto the stage.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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Escalating geopolitical conflicts have disrupted oil flows and contributed to a surge in gas prices in the past.—
David Schutz,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Civil wars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20wars. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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