as in civil war
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Recent Examples of holy war
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
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
For millions of his followers, the President is no longer the Administrator-in-Chief but something closer to the hero Rama in the Hindu epic the Ramayana: a divine avatar destined to wage a holy war against evil.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 17 May 2025
The mission takes on the solemnity of a holy war, and the conclusion, even if it’s preordained, packs a shocking punch.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for holy war
Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 9 Jan. 2026
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
For millions of his followers, the President is no longer the Administrator-in-Chief but something closer to the hero Rama in the Hindu epic the Ramayana: a divine avatar destined to wage a holy war against evil.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 17 May 2025
The mission takes on the solemnity of a holy war, and the conclusion, even if it’s preordained, packs a shocking punch.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for holy war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy war
Noun
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Kidnapping had occurred before the civil war, but the scale and nature of it changed dramatically after 2014, when Yemen when Yemen in effect fractured under rival governments.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
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Hezbollah was founded in 1982 during Lebanon's civil war and initially was devoted to ending Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And that means that if the hot war ends, but Iran ends up in another cold war, that would be as fatal to the regime as the continuation of the hot war.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
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Political post-mortem after post-mortem has deepened a cold war between progressives and moderates, fueling ongoing debates over President Joe Biden’s handling of the Gaza war, inflation, and the cost of living.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Fears that attacks on Iran could trigger a more widespread world war were unfounded.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
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Our local representatives continue to support the head of their party as the world rushes toward another world war.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
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 3 Apr. 2026.
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