as in war
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups
Both sides agreed to cease all hostilities.
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Recent Examples of hostilities
Meanwhile, Moscow escalated its attacks on Ukraine's power grid in an apparent effort to deny civilians power and to weaken public support for the war, while hostilities continued along the roughly 600-mile front line snaking through eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.
—
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Russia appears to be aiming to deny civilians power and weaken public support for the fight, while hostilities continue along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line snaking along eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.
—Emma Burrows, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Russia appears to be aiming to deny civilians power and weaken public support for the fight, while hostilities continue along the roughly 600-mile front line snaking along eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.
—Kamila Hrabchuk, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
After hostilities ended, the combined modern flag emerged in the 1870s as a symbol of how serious the state was about unity.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2026
Under the War Powers Resolution, passed in 1973 as a result of former President Richard Nixon’s overreach in the Vietnam War, the president is required to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops into hostilities.
—Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
Russia’s bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022.
—Kamila Hrabchuk, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
The president doubled down on his hostilities late Monday, criticizing Britain’s decision to relinquish control of the Chagos Islands, an Indian Ocean archipelago home to an Anglo-American military base.
—NBC news, 20 Jan. 2026
Democrats have also found some traction with war powers resolutions meant to force the president to get congressional approval before engaging in hostilities.
—Stephen Groves, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Russia appears to be aiming to deny civilians power and weaken public support for the fight, while hostilities continue along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line snaking along eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.
—Emma Burrows, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Russia appears to be aiming to deny civilians power and weaken public support for the fight, while hostilities continue along the roughly 600-mile front line snaking along eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.
—Kamila Hrabchuk, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
After hostilities ended, the combined modern flag emerged in the 1870s as a symbol of how serious the state was about unity.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2026
Under the War Powers Resolution, passed in 1973 as a result of former President Richard Nixon’s overreach in the Vietnam War, the president is required to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops into hostilities.
—Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
Russia’s bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022.
—Kamila Hrabchuk, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
The president doubled down on his hostilities late Monday, criticizing Britain’s decision to relinquish control of the Chagos Islands, an Indian Ocean archipelago home to an Anglo-American military base.
—NBC news, 20 Jan. 2026
Democrats have also found some traction with war powers resolutions meant to force the president to get congressional approval before engaging in hostilities.
—Stephen Groves, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hostilities
Noun
-
As tensions simmer, neighboring countries have been mediating between the two sides to avert a war, noting that any conflict could spread and destabilize the Middle East.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The ceasefire pact attempted to halt the more than two-year-old war between Israel and Hamas.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Warren saw that the conflict in the region between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo Liberation Army left local children with little to do.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hostilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hostilities. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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