war 1 of 2

noun

ˈwȯr How to pronounce war (audio)
Definition of warnext
1
as in hostilities
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups the war was the result of ethnic tensions that had been building in the region for decades

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2
as in conflict
a lack of agreement or harmony the siblings always seemed to be at war with one another

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3
as in battle
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another only the latest round in the never-ending class war

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war

2 of 2

verb

as in to fight

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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 war
Noun
The fighting has halted most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil supply passed before the war began. — Cathy Bussewitz, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 The legal drama, which attached Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, triggered a bidding war won by Paramount+ with a straight-to-series order. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
Written and directed by Denmark’s Oscar-winning Anders Thomas Jensen, its warring brothers are played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Mads Mikkelsen. — Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026 Silicon Valley’s warring factions are pouring money into congressional primaries. — Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for war
  1. hostilities
  2. conflict
  3. battle
  4. fight
  5. strife
  6. rivalry
  7. contend
  8. warfare
Noun
  • Standoff Military hostilities in the region intensified in recent days, reviving fears of a return to broader war.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Oil jumped by more than 5% to $95 a barrel, while Asian stocks slid over worries the latest attacks point to protracted hostilities.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of hostilities
Noun
  • Addressing this prolonged trade conflict, Washington political news outlet POLITICO brought together four veteran journalists specializing in US-Canada relations and trade policy to analyze potential future trajectories.
    — , CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Since then, the conflict has taken on an ethnic as well as an international dimension, embroiling Sudan’s neighbors but also the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Iran.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Don’t shrink to avoid disagreement, but don’t make everything a battle for control either.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Mustafa, who was born in Iraqi Kurdistan and fled to Norway as a child, said the film was inspired by his encounter with a female Peshmerga sniper during the 2014 frontline battles, as female Kurdish fighters countered Islamic State attacks.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of battle
Verb
  • The fourth plane was headed for Washington, officials concluded, but the aircraft went down in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew members stormed the cockpit and fought the hijackers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • San Francisco must now fight the effects of trying to reset those body clocks back to Pacific Time ahead of the final 16 games, and perhaps that’s Los Angeles’ edge in never changing at all.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of fight
Noun
  • At its heart are two families on different sides of a financial divide who intersect when Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), a documentary filmmaker married to a wealthy heir, Sang-woo (Zo In-sung), attempts to make a film about labor strife.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • This sport is rooted in traditions that span generations and have endured through two world wars, economic booms, depressions and social strife.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • The Boot Bowl rivalry, which began in 2012, doesn’t have the longest history, but for fans in Burleson, few events bring the town together quite like it.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Duane Davis guilty in murder of Tupac Shakur Nearly 30 years after Tupac Shakur was murdered in Las Vegas, a jury has provided some closure in the saga of rivalry, revenge and retribution in the hip-hop world.
    — Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of rivalry
Verb
  • Kaepernick contends Roc Nation went as far as trying to plant stories about him in the media.
    — Michel Martin, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026
  • As Sportico explained last week, the conference contends that it and the other 15 member schools should not be compelled to associate with a school that plays athletes who are in violation of conference eligibility rules.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of contend
Noun
  • Before, the city seemed to have been run by bankers and media professionals and fashion people and celebrities, but now Manhattan had been turned over to men in urban-warfare attire, with brawny forearms and high-and-tight haircuts.
    — Devin Friedman, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Mao Zedong, leader of the Chinese Communist Party, studied the text and drew upon its ideas in his writings on warfare.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of warfare

Phrases Containing war

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wants
war
war (against)
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Cite this Entry

“War.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/war. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on war

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about war

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