as in civil war
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Recent Examples of holy war
But as Paul starts to meet the prophetic expectations of his most fervent followers, there are signs of a holy war that could have terrible consequences.
—
Scott Tobias, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Absolute Dominion takes place In the year 2063 AD, when the world faces catastrophe as zealots and extremists wage a global holy war in the name of spiritual superiority.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2025
After the September 11 attacks, evangelical American missionaries followed military tanks into Afghanistan and Iraq to convert Muslims as part of a holy war.
—Rozina Ali, The New York Review of Books, 31 Oct. 2024
If anything, Russia’s rhetoric about the war has become more annihilationist, invoking the Russian Orthodox Church and suggesting that the conflict is something like a holy war, with existential consequences.
—Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Foreign Affairs, 21 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for holy war
Scott Tobias, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Absolute Dominion takes place In the year 2063 AD, when the world faces catastrophe as zealots and extremists wage a global holy war in the name of spiritual superiority.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2025
After the September 11 attacks, evangelical American missionaries followed military tanks into Afghanistan and Iraq to convert Muslims as part of a holy war.
—Rozina Ali, The New York Review of Books, 31 Oct. 2024
If anything, Russia’s rhetoric about the war has become more annihilationist, invoking the Russian Orthodox Church and suggesting that the conflict is something like a holy war, with existential consequences.
—Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Foreign Affairs, 21 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for holy war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy war
Noun
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The complex and brutal civil war in her country killed thousands.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
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Ambassador Barbara Leaf, who served as assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, visited Damascus and met with Shara in December, becoming the highest-ranking official to meet with Syrian leadership since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When Klara ends up in the local hospital’s anorexic ward, David and Laura must resort to even more desperate measures, which paradoxically help thaw out their own emotional cold war.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
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Nicki Minaj and Cardi’s confusing cold war sparked tributary disputes with Ice Spice, JT from the City Girls, and Boston’s Bia.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Two world wars attest to the need for a healthy, democratic Europe.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Maybe not something drastic like a world war, slavery or the Holocaust, but there’s always shady s–t going on.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
3 Sep. 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
“Holy war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holy%20war. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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