hot wars

noun

plural of hot war
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hot wars
  1. hostilities
  2. wars
  3. conflicts
Noun
  • Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, a president must cease all hostilities abroad after 60 days if there is no congressional declaration of war.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The Houthis launched one of their biggest attacks since hostilities restarted on Thursday, attacking across at least 20 locations.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of hostilities
Noun
  • The pandemic and the streaming wars upended moviegoing habits.
    — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026
  • From feeding hobos on the back porch in the night in the Great Depression to marching against wars for oil in the Eighties and Nineties.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of wars
Noun
  • Expectations around workload and external factors, including international conflicts and crises, are contributing to these heightened anxieties.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Related Stories Set in Yunlin County on Taiwan’s southwest coast, the film follows two boys whose friendship comes under pressure as adult conflicts divide their community.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of conflicts

Browse Nearby Words

hot war
hot wars
hot water
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Cite this Entry

“Hot wars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hot%20wars. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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