HOT WARS Synonyms: 26 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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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

Noun

Given the extent of the disruption to oil exports from the Middle East since the start of hostilities between Washington and Tehran, most of the hikes announced by OPEC+ since March have had a negligible impact on the physical crude market.

— Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Multiple countries are entangled in Sudan’s conflict, and other foreigners, including Russians and Ukrainians, have taken part in hostilities.

— Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of hostilities

Noun

History shows that presidents who intensify wars in pursuit of a way out, or to protect their own prestige or America’s reputation, descend a slippery slope.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Lawrence, whose campaign is centered on the economy, opposing AI data centers and keeping money at home instead of funding foreign wars, argues that the conventional wisdom about moderation being the key to electability is all wrong.

— Tamara Keith, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of wars

Noun

Archer says the system can help controllers and flight crews detect emerging conflicts earlier, giving them more time to make informed decisions before safety risks develop.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026
Ted was genuinely out of his depth, the conflicts felt earned, and the show still had to persuade audiences that its relentless optimism wasn’t naïve.

— Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of conflicts

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hot war

hot wars

hot water

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

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Synonyms of hot wars

noun

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