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
Though active hostilities have paused for the moment, the conflict has already exacted a tragic toll on combatants and civilians alike, threatened global stability and underscored in stark relief the grim reality of war.
—
William E. Lori, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Saturday his country is sending minesweeper ships to the Mediterranean to help remove Iranian mines from the strait once hostilities end.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Saturday his country is sending minesweeper ships to the Mediterranean to help remove Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities end.
—Munir Ahmed, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Wang also hosted his counterpart from close ally Pakistan, which has been acting as the main mediator in the latest talks, to present a five-point proposal calling for an end to hostilities and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Markets have rallied in recent days amid hopes of a de-escalation in hostilities across multiple fronts, with equities rebounding back to pre-conflict levels.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
This shall not be impeded by the cessation of hostilities.
—Yarden Segev, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
Though the ceasefire appeared to hold, the showdown over the strategic Strait of Hormuz risked reigniting hostilities and deepening the regional war's economic fallout.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Apr. 2026
On the diplomatic front, Beijing has played a key behind-the-scenes role in trying to help reach a settlement in the conflict, calling for an end to hostilities on both sides.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2026
William E. Lori, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Saturday his country is sending minesweeper ships to the Mediterranean to help remove Iranian mines from the strait once hostilities end.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Saturday his country is sending minesweeper ships to the Mediterranean to help remove Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities end.
—Munir Ahmed, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Wang also hosted his counterpart from close ally Pakistan, which has been acting as the main mediator in the latest talks, to present a five-point proposal calling for an end to hostilities and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Markets have rallied in recent days amid hopes of a de-escalation in hostilities across multiple fronts, with equities rebounding back to pre-conflict levels.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
This shall not be impeded by the cessation of hostilities.
—Yarden Segev, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
Though the ceasefire appeared to hold, the showdown over the strategic Strait of Hormuz risked reigniting hostilities and deepening the regional war's economic fallout.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Apr. 2026
On the diplomatic front, Beijing has played a key behind-the-scenes role in trying to help reach a settlement in the conflict, calling for an end to hostilities on both sides.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hostilities
Noun
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Khanna said the war will increase costs by $5,000 for American households.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Hegseth also had contentious exchanges about the war in Iran, trading broadsides with Democratic lawmakers over the strategic direction of the war and costs to Americans at home and abroad.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But none of these conflicts affected so many corners of the world as swiftly as the Iran war.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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While they are all expected to leave interest rates unchanged, investors are keen to know how officials view the inflation threat posed by the oil shock stemming from the US-Iran conflict.—
Ashutosh Joshi,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hostilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hostilities. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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