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
In 1949, China was nearing the end of its civil war between the Nationalist government and the Communist People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
—
Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
That disparity traces back to the country’s 11-year civil war and a broken health system with diminishing maternal care.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
The country’s 11-year civil war and a broken health system with diminishing maternal care drove this crisis.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Lebanon’s reconstruction drive after the 1975-1990 civil war was fueled by a borrowing binge that ultimately proved unsustainable for a country hampered by endemic corruption, toxic politics, and frequent conflicts with Israel.
—Alaa Shahine Salha, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
That disparity traces back to the country’s 11-year civil war and a broken health system with diminishing maternal care.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
The country’s 11-year civil war and a broken health system with diminishing maternal care drove this crisis.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Lebanon’s reconstruction drive after the 1975-1990 civil war was fueled by a borrowing binge that ultimately proved unsustainable for a country hampered by endemic corruption, toxic politics, and frequent conflicts with Israel.
—Alaa Shahine Salha, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil war
Noun
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Melissa Barrera, who starred in the fifth and sixth movies, was fired from the seventh installment in 2023 after expressing support for the Palestinian cause and criticizing Israeli actions in the Israel-Hamas war.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Feb. 2026
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The tribute underscored the enduring legacy of the war, even as contemporary tensions on the peninsula went unaddressed in the speech.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Swedish pop star Zara Larsson is apparently locked in a cold war with one user who keeps swapping out the photo on her page.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
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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
Noun
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Collins, a 9/11 truther and QAnon convert who sports a black MAGA hat and custom dental fangs, moved to rural Shawmut, Montana, in 2016 to build a bug-out — an off-grid fortress suitable for waiting out a plague or world war — and raise horses with his wife, Starla.—
Tessa Stuart,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
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Then, on April 21, 1942—in the midst of a new world war—Cannes mayor Antoine Blanchardon, a notary public by trade, seized control of the matter.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Future Publishing | Future Publishing | Getty Images Four years of war between Russia and Ukraine are beginning to take their toll on the countries' demographics as the conflict puts women off — or prevents them — from starting or expanding their families.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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Europe’s is a false economy, spending less now, but risking spending far more if the conflict spreads in the future.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 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 27 Feb. 2026.
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