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war

war

∞ 1.0
A period when countries or groups fight with weapons and violence
  • noun
  • /wɔr/
: guerra
  • We lost the war in 11 days, Heinrich.
  • civil war
  • declare war
  • end a war

You know what caused the war in Ukraine, right?

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Examples

  • In Cambodia, a country devastated by war and genocide, a different set of challenges emerged.

    Academic text (2011)
  • It was that moment the war began for me.

  • And after the war I saw an uncle again.

  • How and why did that war come about?

  • Every crisis would be a nuclear crisis; any war could become a nuclear war.

    Academic text (2011)
  • You know what caused the war in Ukraine, right?

  • The war in Korea was over.

  • Both of those wars were based on lies.

  • The rights and wrongs of the Iraq war will be debated for years to come.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The history of the world is shaped by events of war that altered borders and lives.

Synonyms

conflict
vswar
539 2.7

A violent fight between armed groups in a war

is a prolonged condition of armed fighting between groups not a single battle
hostilities
vswar
  • Formal
45 7.4

Fighting between two countries or groups during a war

is the ongoing state of armed fighting rather than individual acts
state of war
vswar
  • Formal
11 6.2

An official condition declared by governments when rules of war apply

is the general state of armed conflict not limited to formal declarations
belligerency
vswar
  • Specialized
1 9.4

A situation when a country or group fights in a war

is the everyday word for a long period of armed fighting between groups

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

A time when countries or groups do not fight

125 2.5

Agreement and peaceful working together between people or ideas

Idioms

182 4.1

Fighting between countries, groups, or organizations

69 3.9

In serious conflict with someone or something

Fail to reach the main goal even if you win small victories

Get a small success but lose a bigger long-term goal

Compounds

656 3.2

A large war between most of the world's main countries

479 3.2

A war between groups in the same country

World War II
  • Literature
385 2.5

A global war from 1939 to 1945 between the Allies and Axis powers

234 3.5

A long period of political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union without direct fighting

166 3.2

A war in 1990–1991 when many countries led by the United States forced Iraq out of Kuwait

128 4.2

A long war in Vietnam between communist North Vietnam supported by China and South Vietnam supported by the United States

war crime
  • NSFW
93 4.6

A serious crime in war, like killing civilians or prisoners

72 3.0

A large war that many countries fought from 1914 to 1918

A worldwide war from 1939 to 1945 between the Allies and the Axis

A soldier the enemy captures and holds during a war

61 3.8

An area where soldiers fight during a war

war criminal
  • Specialized
50 6.4

A person who does very serious illegal acts during a war, like killing civilians

42 3.7

A 1950 to 1953 war between North and South Korea with the United Nations, China, and the Soviet Union

A large war in Europe from 1914 to 1918 between many countries, also called World War I

drug war
  • NSFW
41 3.7

A fight by police and government against illegal drugs and people who make or sell them

35 4.2

A war in Europe from 1914 to 1918 between the Allies and Central Powers

war game
  • Specialized
29 3.9

A practice where soldiers and commanders rehearse battle plans

28 5.1

A room where people meet to plan important actions during a crisis or campaign

A war from 1775 to 1783 when thirteen American colonies fought Britain for independence

26 4.8

A place that is badly damaged and dangerous, like after fighting

war on women
  • Offensive
25 6.7

A set of actions and laws that harm or limit women's rights, especially in politics and society

A 1990–1991 war when Iraq invaded Kuwait and a US-led group fought to push out Iraqi troops

22 2.0

A game where two teams pull a rope to drag the other team across a line

19 5.1

A nation's organized armed forces and weapons used for fighting

18 2.7

A global war from 1939 to 1945 involving many countries

god of war
  • Literature
17 8.3

A god people believe controls war and gives victory to soldiers

16 6.2

A long angry argument in public between opposing groups

14 3.6

A long time of tense relations between countries without open fighting

turf war
  • Informal
13 6.5

A fight between groups for control of an area

13 8.6

Person in charge of the United States Army until 1947 when the job moved to the Secretary of Defense

13 6.7

A former United States office that managed the army, now part of the Department of Defense

A group of people who try to stop a war by holding peaceful protests

tug-of-war
  • Informal
13 3.2

A hard struggle between two groups for power or control

war power
  • Formal
13 7.7

Special authority the government uses during war to do things beyond normal limits

12 4.9

A supply of money kept to pay for a planned activity like a political campaign or takeover

A war in the United States from 1861 to 1865 between the North and South over slavery and states' rights

state of war
  • Formal
11 6.2

An official condition declared by governments when rules of war apply

11 6.0

A war between the United States and Britain from 1812 to 1814 over trade limits and taking American sailors

war correspondent
  • Literature
10 5.3

A journalist who reports news from battle areas for newspapers or TV

10 5.8

A war between Iran and Iraq from 1980 to 1988 over control of the Shatt al-Arab waterway

A civil war in Spain from 1936 to 1939 when General Franco overthrew the government

8 4.9

A 1898 war between the United States and Spain that gave the US Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines

6 5.8

A fight between rich and poor groups over money and power

proxy war
  • Literature
6 7.6

A war fought by smaller countries but started or supported by larger powers that do not fight directly

6 3.0

A contest where two teams pull a rope to drag the other team across a line

A 1898 war between the United States and Spain that gives U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines

5 5.7

A short war in June 1967 between Israel and nearby Arab countries that changed control of land

5 5.8

Colored paint people put on the face and body before a battle or ceremony

5 4.3

A loud shout to encourage or rally people before a battle

5 5.5

A war between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 that gave the United States new lands

A place that holds soldiers captured by the enemy during a war

4 6.1

A fight between countries or groups with real battles

Gulf War syndrome
  • Specialized
4 7.8

A long-term illness affecting people who served in the 1991 Gulf War that causes tiredness, headaches, stomach and breathing problems

war party
  • Archaic
4 8.8

A group of people who go to attack an enemy

4 3.2

Companies lower prices to compete and attract customers, often causing lower profits

3 7.9

One of two wars in South Africa between the British and settlers from Dutch families in 1880-1881 or 1899-1902

war paint
  • Informal
3 5.5

Makeup people put on to feel more confident before going out

war on Christmas
  • Literature
3 8.4

A claim that some people are trying to stop public Christmas celebrations

A war in the United States from 1861 to 1865 between northern and southern states

3 2.8

A woman whose husband dies because he served in a war

A 1973 war when Egypt and Syria made a surprise attack on Israel during the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur

man-of-war
  • Archaic
2 9.9

A large armed ship used by navies from the 1500s to the 1800s

theater of war
  • Specialized
2 7.5

An area of land, sea, or air where military fighting happens

dirty war
  • Offensive
2 9.2

A secret campaign by a government against suspected opponents using kidnapping, torture, and murder

2 7.5

A war fought from 1853 to 1856 in Crimea between Russia and Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia

A short war in June 1967 when Israel fought nearby Arab countries and won

A war between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 that gave the United States large Southwest lands

forever war
  • Literature
2 8.3

A war that goes on for many years with no end

A series of civil wars in England between Lancaster and York for the throne in the 1400s

2 5.8

A war in June 1967 that lasted six days between Israel and nearby Arab countries and changed the region

limited war
  • Specialized
2 7.1

A war fought to reach small, certain goals without trying to destroy the enemy

A long series of wars between England and France from 1337 to 1453 over who should be king of France

A contest using pressure and fear to weaken the other side without physical fighting

How Violent

world war
656 3.2
war
∞ 1.0
skirmish
39 6.4
conflict
482 2.3
peace
482 1.0

Surface Forms

war singular
wars plural

Etymology

War comes from an old German word werre that meant 'confusion' or 'strife' and later became a word for fighting in Old French. So war today means armed fighting between countries or groups.