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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conflicts
a lack of agreement or harmony
the siblings always seemed to be at war with one another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rivalries
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
only the latest round in the never-ending class war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wars
Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 June 2026
Today’s gerrymandering wars are nothing other than an attempt by both parties to predetermine the outcome of elections.
—Frederic J. Fransen, Boston Herald, 9 June 2026
The former Chicago mayor and ambassador pitches himself as a tough, centrist Democrat focused on middle-class strain, reining in culture wars and even imposing a 75-year retirement age.
—Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Given this news, we were left hoping the mid-decade redistricting wars were slowing down.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2026
The story makes stops in Milan, Barcelona and Tehran, and goes on detours through a Jewish powerhouse club in pre-war Vienna, and soccer’s place in the American culture wars.
—Leander Schaerlaeckens
june 8, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Kashmir is divided between Pakistan and India, both of which claim the territory in its entirety and have fought two wars over it since independence from British rule in 1947.
—ABC News, 8 June 2026
As ongoing wars continue to spread human misery, a Little Rock exhibition of World War II art by Thomas Hart Benton portrays warfare's violence and agony graphically.
—Jack Schnedler, Arkansas Online, 8 June 2026
Until there is agreement on this basic premise, the project is destined to become another battleground in America’s culture wars.
—Kathy Szeliga, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2026
Noun
These conflicts included wars between Russia and Ukraine and between Iran and Israel; and disputes between India and Pakistan.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 June 2026
Today’s gerrymandering wars are nothing other than an attempt by both parties to predetermine the outcome of elections.
—Frederic J. Fransen, Boston Herald, 9 June 2026
The former Chicago mayor and ambassador pitches himself as a tough, centrist Democrat focused on middle-class strain, reining in culture wars and even imposing a 75-year retirement age.
—Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Given this news, we were left hoping the mid-decade redistricting wars were slowing down.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2026
The story makes stops in Milan, Barcelona and Tehran, and goes on detours through a Jewish powerhouse club in pre-war Vienna, and soccer’s place in the American culture wars.
—Leander Schaerlaeckens
june 8, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Kashmir is divided between Pakistan and India, both of which claim the territory in its entirety and have fought two wars over it since independence from British rule in 1947.
—ABC News, 8 June 2026
As ongoing wars continue to spread human misery, a Little Rock exhibition of World War II art by Thomas Hart Benton portrays warfare's violence and agony graphically.
—Jack Schnedler, Arkansas Online, 8 June 2026
Until there is agreement on this basic premise, the project is destined to become another battleground in America’s culture wars.
—Kathy Szeliga, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wars
Noun
-
Strikes in the region have continued in recent days despite the White House's assertion to lawmakers that hostilities have ended.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
The two sides had agreed last month to a ceasefire, but hostilities had continued.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Its Acadian, Creole and maritime narratives reveal how global conflicts and local landscapes shaped the Gulf South.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
That new reality is the result of Iran’s relentless efforts to link the fate of both conflicts, and of the increasingly diverging priorities of the US president and the Israeli prime minister.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova had one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history, and now the pair are opening up about the friendship that followed off the court in a new documentary that revisits their years at the top of women's tennis.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
-
Their rivalries have surfaced in the Horn of Africa, Libya, and Yemen, and in media networks, investment strategies, and diplomatic initiatives.—
Judah Taub,
semafor.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Right Now As the country battles a deadly second wave, international donations are helping local communities access essential items.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
-
Both wholesome kids get caught in the crossfire when He-Man battles Skeletor’s army of Darth Vader lookalikes in — where else?—
Jeffrey Ressner,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Tensions between Rian and Patrick flare when Rian drunkenly mentions a brief fling with Shiv, though the film’s clunky edit, which gives little room for the performances to breathe and play out organically within their contexts, makes these frictions feel stilted and juvenile.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
22 May 2026
-
Outcomes announced so far also spotlight where daylight and frictions continue to exist.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The McDowells are far from alone in their struggles to find stable, straightforward child care.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
-
Rather than focusing on recent struggles, Mattingly pointed toward the larger body of work that made Bichette one of the American League's most productive young hitters during his years in Toronto.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The government fights the fly by breeding sterile male flies, which then mate with wild females that only mate once in their monthslong life.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
Tom's Watch Bar in Navy Yard and Public Bar Live in Dupont Circle are often regarded as two of the most popular places to watch UFC fights in the city.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Your dedicated Slack channels, private discords and endless Reddit threads.—
April Uchitel,
Flow Space,
6 Aug. 2025
-
In every case, physical science, which is based on the evidence reported by these limited and limiting senses, eventually leaves us stranded with the conviction that sickness, accidents, and disasters – discords of every description, regardless of the apparent cause – are real and inevitable.—
Lisa Rennie Sytsma,
Christian Science Monitor,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wars. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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