war hawks

Definition of war hawksnext
plural of war hawk
as in hawks
one who urges or attempts to cause a war war hawks in the cabinet who urged the President to respond to the threat with armed force

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 war hawks Arnett was a tough and fearless New Zealander who wrote about the war from the battlefield with a realism that often led to the dismay and anger of President Johnson and the war hawks surrounding him. Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for war hawks
hawks
Noun
  • The comments reflect an effort by Cruz to minimize internal GOP fractures at a moment when foreign policy, particularly Iran, has exposed real tensions between the party’s traditional hawks and a rising noninterventionist wing.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Over the years, a bipartisan coalition supporting nuclear expansion brought together environmentalists who favor zero-carbon power and defense hawks focused on abundant domestic energy production.
    Avi Asher-Schapiro, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“War hawks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/war%20hawks. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster