civil wars

noun

plural of civil war
as in wars
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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of civil wars American sentiment was turning against newcomers, whether Vietnamese refugees, Cuban and Haitian boat people, Central Americans fleeing civil wars or Mexicans looking for economic opportunity. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Their meddling repeatedly yielded devastating outcomes, however, contributing to a military coup in Egypt and several civil wars. — Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 The United States’ contribution to ending Europe’s two civil wars fostered American confidence and, by the mid-Forties, declarations of an American century. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 Inside many of Miami’s multiplying condos, civil wars are raging between residents who live there and absentee owners who buy units for investment income. — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026 Syria, Libya, and Yemen have already endured civil wars and protracted humanitarian crises. — Sarah Yerkes, Time, 10 July 2026 So, the civil wars of the 1640s. — Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026 But such a hope was belied by the developments after the cold war ended as civil wars ensued in many parts of the world. — Debidatta A. Mahapatra, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026 Each of these civil wars ended in peace agreements that paved the way for peaceful elections, yet insecurity and economic woes continue to plague the three nations. — Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil wars
  1. wars
  2. hostilities
  3. conflicts
Noun
  • The treaty has endured three wars and prolonged periods of diplomatic tensions but has come under increasing strain in recent years.
    — Sam Meredith,Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Kitchen has seen some properties pushed even higher than that as sales frequently turn into bidding wars.
    — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of wars
Noun
  • Brent’s price zigzagged between $72 and $102 last month as hopes rose and fell that the United States and Iran could reach an agreement to end hostilities and the threat to oil tankers in the strait.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, argued the war was over with a ceasefire and that hostilities then resumed.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of hostilities
Noun
  • Unfortunately, its determination to recreate its predecessor’s personal conflicts and revelations, along with its narrative twists and turns, slightly hamstrings what is otherwise an extremely effective thrill ride, especially on the big screen.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • When Russia’s full-scale invasion breaks out, his mother and sister flee Ukraine and join him, bringing with them family conflicts and feelings of guilt that distance cannot silence.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of conflicts

Browse Nearby Words

civil war
civil wars
civvies
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Cite this Entry

“Civil wars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20wars. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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