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 Plans were halted in early 2021 following a military coup and resulting civil war. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026 The Tokugawa shogunate had brought a period of civil wars to an end, and during the long, uninterrupted peace under its iron rule there were fewer opportunities for men who had been trained to fight. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Further complicating scientific investigations were the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the ensuing civil war. — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Her niece, Nisreen Oweida, said her aunt was from Syria’s northern Idlib province and had left during the country’s civil war. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Oct. 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
  • The ongoing war in Iran has centered on nuclear issues, including enrichment—Iranian officials have resisted any peace-deal terms that restrict the country’s enrichment program.
    — Nick Bockelman, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Lessons from the smartphone wars Zuckerberg’s push to own the full stack may stem from his nearly two-decade rivalry with Apple and Google, which control the world’s dominant smartphone platforms.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 20 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
  • The group’s plans for the Middle East have been affected by the regional conflict, which has put some expansion activity in the region on hold.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Given that the United States keeps getting mired in errant conflicts, Congress urgently needs to reassert its constitutional obligation to approve acts of war and oversee retrenchment.
    — Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on civil war

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civil war

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