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
Tom Fletcher told the U.N. Security Council that the food security crisis in the Arab world’s poorest country, which is beset by civil war, has been accelerating since late 2023.
—
Edith M. Lederer, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
These dissenting voices emerged cautiously during the Syrian civil war in 2011 and have grown after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war on Gaza.
—Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 9 July 2025
There is also now hopeful talk of the White House turning its attention to the two-year-old civil war in Sudan where millions have been displaced since April 2023.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 9 July 2025
Nga Vương-Sandoval, the executive director of Refugees + Immigrants United Colorado, contends that the reasons why migrants leave their home countries today — political persecution and civil wars, gang violence, climate change, economic collapse and more — are myriad and nuanced.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Denver Post, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Edith M. Lederer, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
These dissenting voices emerged cautiously during the Syrian civil war in 2011 and have grown after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war on Gaza.
—Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 9 July 2025
There is also now hopeful talk of the White House turning its attention to the two-year-old civil war in Sudan where millions have been displaced since April 2023.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 9 July 2025
Nga Vương-Sandoval, the executive director of Refugees + Immigrants United Colorado, contends that the reasons why migrants leave their home countries today — political persecution and civil wars, gang violence, climate change, economic collapse and more — are myriad and nuanced.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Denver Post, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil war
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil war
Noun
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The bomb hasn’t been used since, apart from test blasts, and after the Cold War ended in 1991, the risk of nuclear war mercifully declined.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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Throughout history, technological advantages have altered the course of wars, sometimes suddenly.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Noun
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This ‘investment’ is all about the U.S. vs. China cold war, a theme driving the markets and pretty much everything else until further notice.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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At the center of the tech cold war are mirrored titans: Nvidia, the crown jewel of the U.S. AI economy, and Huawei, the symbol of China’s digital ambitions.—
Quartz Staff,
Quartz,
22 May 2025
Noun
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Cortes: America quite literally saved the world three times in the 20th century: in two world wars, and then in the Cold War.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 July 2025
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After two world wars and years of housing business tenants, the site transitioned to a Marion County Jail in the mid-1990s.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
Noun
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There have been conflicts between rideshare drivers and taxis in the past, so consider sticking with a reputable taxi or car service, However, the more adventurous can rent a car to explore nearby cenotes, ruins, and regional highlights.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
12 July 2025
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The deportations – part of a program Iran announced in March – have radically increased in pace since the 12-day conflict with Israel, fueled by unsubstantiated claims that Afghans had spied for Israel prior to and during the attacks.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
11 July 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 22 Jul. 2025.
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