as in hostilities
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups
fortunately, the cool relationship between the two nations never escalated into a hot war
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Recent Examples of hot wars
There are hot wars in Ukraine and Gaza, cold wars on the Korean peninsula and in the Taiwan Strait, and budding wars in Iran and parts of Africa.
—
Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hot wars
Noun
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Instead, the outcome might end up along the lines of a no lose/no lose, winding down of hostilities.—
Daniel Kurtzer,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
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This past week, Wang hosted his Pakistani counterpart in Beijing to hash out their five-point proposal, calling for an end to hostilities and the reopening of the strait.—
Didi Tang,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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To project power and deterrence, the regime also launched a nuclear program and influenced regional wars with a network of proxy forces in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
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His 16-year grip on power has tested the EU system of governance meant to ensure peace through economic and political integration after the ravages of the world wars.—
SAM McNEIL,
Arkansas Online,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But rather that sometimes, particularly with adult-child conflicts, the adult has to be very intentional about trying their best and assuming the best of the child.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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Spring is in the air, international conflicts are at a fever pitch and the World Cup matches in Atlanta are less than three months away.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hot wars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hot%20wars. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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