civil war

noun

Definition of civil warnext
as in war
a a state or period of fighting between groups of people in the same country a region that has had many civil wars

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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 civil war Those being deported today weren’t captured and sold into bondage; many left home to escape civil war, gang violence or starvation. — Karen Masterson, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026 However, each side holds that the Yemeni civil war has now entered a new phase from which neither side looks eager to extricate itself. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026 Syria's nearly 14-year civil war has ended, but the economy is still struggling, while inflation has ratcheted up the cost of living in the last year. — Emily Feng, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026 And the country [in the midst of a brutal 3+ year civil war] is in major crisis. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for civil war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil war
  1. war
  2. cold war
  3. world war
  4. conflict
  5. holy war
  6. limited war
Noun
  • Whether the military was properly prepared for treating its wounded in the current Iran war has become a sharp point of contention.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Dima Putiata, the former Ukrainian soldier, says what started in this war has already spread to other conflicts.
    — Greg Myre, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The Saudis, then mired in a regional cold war with Iran, viewed the Houthis as an Iranian proxy force that threatened the kingdom’s borders.
    — Kareem Fahim, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
  • During Wallace and Shakur’s own rift, Knight and Combs’ own cold war simmered and ran even hotter than many initially believed.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of cold war
Noun
  • But it was established in 1945 to avoid the staggering human and financial costs of another world war.
    — Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Born in 1946, in a country recovering from a civil war and a world war, Rodríguez entered a life marked by poverty in the southern Spanish village of Añora.
    — Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of world war
Noun
  • With the whizbang action long in the series’ rearview, this quiet road trip proves its emotional centerpiece, as Noah confesses both his true nature and his desire to be better — the conflict of his programming.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The decision marks a dramatic reversal, after Ethiopian and Eritrean forces united in fighting the TPLF during the previous conflict.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Yet, somehow, the labels jihad, holy war and suicide martyrs are still thrown around.
    — Reshma Memon Yaqub, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Even a local Catholic priest launched a holy war against the school over its new athletic facility.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of holy war
Noun
  • In this scenario, which may already be coming to fruition, the meager hope is that the conflict transforms into simply a more limited war.
    — Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2024
  • Many scholars panned the book, believing its 34-year-old author had overestimated the nation’s ability to keep limited war limited.
    — David E. Sanger, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
Definition of limited war

Browse Nearby Words

civil unions
civil war
civil wars
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Cite this Entry

“Civil war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20war. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on civil war

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civil war

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