as in war
a a state or period of fighting between groups of people in the same country
a region that has had many civil wars
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Recent Examples of civil war
But three years later, Libya descended into a three-way civil war and today remains a failed state.
—
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 18 June 2025
The Republican civil war, as some have put it, began in January over immigration enforcement and continues to this day over Hope Florida, a program and charity spearheaded by the first lady intended to get low-income people off government aid.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025
Ricks fled as a child from the civil war in Liberia with her family and resettled in Aurora.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 17 June 2025
Other high-profile attacks in recent years have included a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi inside their San Francisco home, and a 2020 plot by anti-government extremists to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at her vacation home and start a civil war.
—Tim Sullivan, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 18 June 2025
The Republican civil war, as some have put it, began in January over immigration enforcement and continues to this day over Hope Florida, a program and charity spearheaded by the first lady intended to get low-income people off government aid.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025
Ricks fled as a child from the civil war in Liberia with her family and resettled in Aurora.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 17 June 2025
Other high-profile attacks in recent years have included a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi inside their San Francisco home, and a 2020 plot by anti-government extremists to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at her vacation home and start a civil war.
—Tim Sullivan, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil war
Noun
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After Hamas conducted a surprise attack against Israel in October 2023, the group was backed in the ensuing war with Israel by Iran and its Axis of Resistance coalition of non-state actors in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
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Over the last two months, Trump has said repeatedly that various answers to questions about the war, including U.S. assistance to Ukraine, would be just two weeks away.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
20 June 2025
Noun
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In addition, there are at least two notable cold wars, between the U.S. and China, and between the U.S. and Iran.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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Orson Welles’s 1955 cold war thriller Mr. Arkadin is the key to Wes Anderson’s psychological puzzle The Phoenician Scheme.—
Armond White,
National Review,
30 May 2025
Noun
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In both world wars, the key to victory was unbeatable stamina.—
Lawrence D. Freedman,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Five years was serious business, the length of world wars and Soviet economic plans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Global market sentiment is becoming more skittish over the conflict between Iran and Israel and the possibility of further U.S. involvement.—
Ganesh Rao,Jenni Reid,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
19 June 2025
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Sen Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, moved to limit Trump's powers by introducing a floor resolution that would require approval from Congress before the U.S. could get involved in a military conflict with Iran.—
Alexandra Hutzler,
ABC News,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Many Russians will come to believe that Russia is fighting a holy war against the West and NATO, and that Western sanctions are designed to make ordinary Russians suffer.—
Maxim Mironov,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Mar. 2022
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In 1992, the government pressured Muslim clerics to declare a holy war against Nuba who opposed the regime.—
Nicolas Niarchos,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Noun
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In contrast, China has made targeted investments intended to give it an advantage in a quick, limited war, while keeping its overall defense spending relatively modest: Beijing’s defense spending has risen from five percent of U.S. levels in 1995 to 32 percent in 2017.—
Oriana Skylar Mastro,
Foreign Affairs,
20 May 2025
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And as always, there’s no guarantee that a limited war would stay limited.—
Joshua Keating,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Civil war.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20war. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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