as in war
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups
Both sides agreed to cease all hostilities.
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Recent Examples of hostilities
Security guarantees for Ukraine that are directly tied to the cessation of hostilities can advance all three of these objectives.
—
Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2024
But Israel's military plans for a major offensive in Gaza may reshape the course of the conflict, depending on the outcome of talks and possible further hostilities.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Not only has an escalation of US/USSR hostilities led to the Americans' expulsion from the Leonov, he's also received a mysterious warning imploring him to leave Jupiter within two days.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2024
In January, the World Bank and Ipsos, a market research firm, estimated that nearly 60% of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure had been damaged or destroyed by hostilities.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN, 19 Dec. 2024
According to the officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Hamas agreed that Israeli forces would remain in Gaza temporarily after the end of hostilities, and Hamas would provide a comprehensive list of hostages, including American citizens, to be released.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC News, 17 Dec. 2024
The presence of such peacekeepers probably would require a cessation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Rebels used that vacuum to advance in Syria, and their calculation paid off; an offensive that might have led to another months-long eruption in hostilities instead took days, ending with a march into the capital that was met with little resistance.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities.
—Bassem Mroue and Zeina Karam, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Dec. 2024
Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2024
But Israel's military plans for a major offensive in Gaza may reshape the course of the conflict, depending on the outcome of talks and possible further hostilities.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Not only has an escalation of US/USSR hostilities led to the Americans' expulsion from the Leonov, he's also received a mysterious warning imploring him to leave Jupiter within two days.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2024
In January, the World Bank and Ipsos, a market research firm, estimated that nearly 60% of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure had been damaged or destroyed by hostilities.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN, 19 Dec. 2024
According to the officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Hamas agreed that Israeli forces would remain in Gaza temporarily after the end of hostilities, and Hamas would provide a comprehensive list of hostages, including American citizens, to be released.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC News, 17 Dec. 2024
The presence of such peacekeepers probably would require a cessation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Rebels used that vacuum to advance in Syria, and their calculation paid off; an offensive that might have led to another months-long eruption in hostilities instead took days, ending with a march into the capital that was met with little resistance.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities.
—Bassem Mroue and Zeina Karam, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hostilities
Cite this Entry
“Hostilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hostilities. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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