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 wars

the 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

That Rocked Myanmar and Thailand But recovery efforts—including understanding the full extent of the damage and getting aid to where it’s needed most—are complicated by Myanmar’s ongoing civil war. —Chad De Guzman, Time, 3 Apr. 2025

The quake could exacerbate hunger and disease outbreaks in a country that was already one of the world's most challenging places for humanitarian organizations to operate because of civil war, aid groups and the United Nations warned. —Arkansas Online, 1 Apr. 2025

House of the Dragon chronicles the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragon, an event that didn’t just happen overnight. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2025

The quake could exacerbate hunger and disease outbreaks in a country that was already one of the world’s most challenging places for humanitarian organizations to operate because of civil war, aid groups and the United Nations warned. —David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for civil war

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• blastopore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore

Kids Definition

civil war

noun

: a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country or nation