civil war
noun
plural civil wars
: a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country
a country on the brink of (a) civil war
—often used in the capitalized names of specific warsthe Spanish Civil War
(American/U.S.) Civil War monuments
Note: The American Civil War, fought 1861–1865 between the United States and 11 southern states that had seceded from it, is also commonly known as the U.S. Civil War, or especially in the U.S. as the War Between the States or simply the Civil War.
Examples of civil war in a Sentence
a region that has had many civil wars
The country is on the brink of civil war.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Targaryen civil war has been a bit of a slow burn so far, though both sides of the family have suffered major casualties.
—
Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
The global economy was still caught in the vise of the Great Depression, civil war was brewing in Spain, and the League of Nations was breathing its last breaths.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
Three decades ago, Belkacemi and his wife fled Algeria to escape the civil war.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
During the Sudanese civil war, South Sudan’s elephant population plummeted from 100,000 to 5,000 over three decades, as herds of gentle bystanders got caught in the crossfire.
—The Los Angeles Times, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil war
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Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
The global economy was still caught in the vise of the Great Depression, civil war was brewing in Spain, and the League of Nations was breathing its last breaths.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
Three decades ago, Belkacemi and his wife fled Algeria to escape the civil war.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
During the Sudanese civil war, South Sudan’s elephant population plummeted from 100,000 to 5,000 over three decades, as herds of gentle bystanders got caught in the crossfire.
—The Los Angeles Times, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Cite this Entry
“Civil war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20war. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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