wars 1 of 2

noun

plural of war
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 conflicts
a lack of agreement or harmony the siblings always seemed to be at war with one another

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

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wars

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of war
as in battles

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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 wars
Noun
Erik Prince and his private security teams were contracted by the US government during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, most remembered for Blackwater employees opening fire in Baghdad’s Nusoor Square, killing 17 Iraqi civilians. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 The march against wars and rising living costs began peacefully. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 While the pandemic as well as the Ukraine and Iran wars worsened France’s fiscal picture, President Emmanuel Macron has also pulled back from reforms meant to rein in the debt. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 With the striking exception of North Korean soldiers deployed on Russia’s behalf, the axis countries have generally avoided fighting one another’s wars. — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026 The series shows how Paul Martino spent a fortune supporting Republican candidates who supported reopening schools quickly after the height of the pandemic but then, more contentiously, turned their attention to the culture wars. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 If military superiority alone could end wars, then Afghanistan and Iraq would have been relatively easy American wins. — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026 There’s also this idea that wars almost always start with people who want to push others toward conflict. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 The concern is, if the trade wars continue or worsen, that there will be an even steeper decline to the industry area was built on. — Saige Miller, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wars
  1. hostilities
  2. conflicts
  3. rivalries
  4. battles
  5. frictions
  6. struggles
  7. fights
  8. discords
Noun
  • The hostilities began as a month-long student movement over school conditions and teacher shortages in working-class suburbs before broadening into a larger protest movement against inequality, public spending cuts and the rising cost of living.
    — Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Although the correlation between daily prices has been insignificant, cotton prices and Brent crude prices have followed a similar general pattern since the outbreak of hostilities around Iran.
    — SJ Guest Editorial, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of hostilities
Noun
  • Although the strategic consequences of their actions may ultimately benefit Iran in its own regional and international conflicts, the Houthis see their military campaign against Saudi Arabia chiefly as an act of national defense.
    — Laurent Bonnefoy, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Many of those executed were arrested in Derna and Benghazi cities during or after conflicts between the LNA and opposing armed groups between 2014 and 2018, according to the Wednesday report.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of conflicts
Noun
  • Fans care about rivalries among teams made up of students who generally progress through college and exhaust their eligibility alongside their classmates, rather than athletes whose college careers extend well beyond the traditional timeline.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • There are a few big rivalries in the NFL, but almost none have as much history as Chicago and Green Bay.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of rivalries
Verb
  • Under Paris France, 2024 A female scientist battles a killer shark who turns up in the Seine.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Harald’s death comes as Charles battles an undisclosed type of cancer.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of battles
Noun
  • Certain frictions or frustrations became apparent during the reunion as some of those women tried to make their voices heard in the din of lively conversation.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Only there can tingly frictions and glints of revelation emerge.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of frictions
Noun
  • Ohio State could still beat USC on the road, even with a backup, considering the Trojans' struggles to win big games under Riley and their suffocating defense.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Kansas City officials have acknowledged the city’s struggles to address homelessness, with reports ranking the city as among the worst in terms of the number of people without shelter.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of struggles
Verb
  • As Ukraine fights a larger, richer and better-equipped enemy, Kyiv sees the strikes on Russian oil refineries as one of its few instruments to reduce Moscow’s ability to fight.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Gemma, still recovering from her injury, fights her impulses and stays on the sideline.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of fights
Noun
  • This proves that God’s kingdom is what is truly present, even where earthly discords seem to be.
    — Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 26 May 2026
  • Your dedicated Slack channels, private discords and endless Reddit threads.
    — April Uchitel, Flow Space, 6 Aug. 2025
Definition of discords

Browse Nearby Words

warriors
wars
wars (against)
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Cite this Entry

“Wars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wars. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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