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 two powers did find a new alignment in the Middle East when civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, with Tehran and Moscow aiding longtime Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against rebels and jihadis.
—
Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
The civil war in Syria intensified in 2014 as the PKK was withdrawing its fighters from Turkey.
—Ragip Soylu, Time, 18 July 2025
The group was founded by Evangelical bishops to address human rights and democratic concerns after the country's civil war.
—Andrea Salcedo, NPR, 17 July 2025
On Friday, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital a staggering 14.2 million have been displaced since the government and the rebel Rapid Support Forces started the current civil war in April 2023.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
The civil war in Syria intensified in 2014 as the PKK was withdrawing its fighters from Turkey.
—Ragip Soylu, Time, 18 July 2025
The group was founded by Evangelical bishops to address human rights and democratic concerns after the country's civil war.
—Andrea Salcedo, NPR, 17 July 2025
On Friday, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital a staggering 14.2 million have been displaced since the government and the rebel Rapid Support Forces started the current civil war in April 2023.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025
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 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share