world war
noun
: a war engaged in by all or most of the principal nations of the world
especially,
World War
: either of two such wars of the first half of the 20th century
Examples of world war in a Sentence
He fought in both World Wars.
The nations were prepared for world war.
Recent Examples on the Web
The code lasted through two world wars, the upheaval of the 1960s, the disillusionment of Watergate, and even the rise of search engines and SparkNotes.
—
Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
This country has held elections during the Civil War, during two world wars, elections still went on.
—Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 10 May 2026
The games center on multiplayer warfare across land, air and sea, taking place in settings ranging from both world wars to Vietnam and the near future.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
That incarnation lasted through two world wars but was gone by 1963.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for world war
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Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
This country has held elections during the Civil War, during two world wars, elections still went on.
—Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 10 May 2026
The games center on multiplayer warfare across land, air and sea, taking place in settings ranging from both world wars to Vietnam and the near future.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
That incarnation lasted through two world wars but was gone by 1963.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for world war
Cite this Entry
“World war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/world%20war. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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