Noun They fought a war over the disputed territory. A war broke out when the colonists demanded their independence. We need to resolve our conflicts without resorting to war. People behave differently during a time of war. The taking of American hostages was seen as an act of war by the United States. the budget wars in Washington See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2022 Russia’s war on Ukraine, for one, wasn’t part of the forecast, resulting in a $25 million headwind to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for the year after the company decided to discontinue operations in Russia. Jennifer Williams-alvarez, WSJ, 12 Sep. 2022 As throughout the war, such military claims were hard to verify independently. Elena Becatoros, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2022 The same two friends dug them up Sunday, with Ukrainian war crimes investigators looking on. Steve Hendrix, Serhii Korolchuk And Robyn Dixon, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Sep. 2022 Burlingame was more than a war hero to his family, who affectionately called him Chic.CBS News, 12 Sep. 2022 The United States entered the war at the end of 1941. Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 12 Sep. 2022 The show also makes a number of storytelling and production choices that have helped DS9 seem more relevant in recent years than ever before, including tackling issues about race, religious fundamentalism, and war on a regular basis. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 12 Sep. 2022 Dave Herman has been in charge of 23 war and military related events in town over the years and has enjoyed the growth of it since having to cancel in 2020 because of the pandemic. Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2022
Verb
Spears’ father, Jamie Spears, sought the court’s permission to take Spears’ deposition as the two sides continue to war over attorneys’ fees and other costs connected to her 13-year conservatorship. Elizabeth Wagmeister, Variety, 27 July 2022 The dour news arrived as Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue to war over the size and scope of the next coronavirus relief package. Tony Romm, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Aug. 2020 The dour news arrived as Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue to war over the size and scope of the next coronavirus relief package.Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2020 Selah takes on a protégée, Paloma (Celeste O’Connor), a new student and amateur photographer who has yet to be claimed by one of the school’s warring factions. Teo Bugbee, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2020 Egypt, Russia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates are all involved, supplying variously troops, fighters, and military equipment to the warring factions. Lorne Cook, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Mar. 2020 As the virus outbreak — and Israel’s response to it — swelled frighteningly in recent days, the warring factions have softened their rhetoric and embraced, tentatively, the possibility of coming together in an emergency coalition. Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2020 The timing of the pandemic couldn’t be worse for Mexico, especially in this downtrodden city, which has long been marred by drug violence carried out by warring criminal organizations.Dallas News, 9 Apr. 2020 Nothing in your letter suggests a dire backdrop, but many young people are cut off by their parents for warring over hot topics such as religion or sexuality. Philip Galanes, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2018 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English werre, from Anglo-French werre, guerre, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German werra strife; akin to Old High German werran to confuse
Adverb or adjective
Middle English werre, from Old Norse verri, adjective, verr, adverb; akin to Old English wiersa worse — more at worse
First Known Use
Noun
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
ADJECTIVE | VERB + WAR | WAR + VERB | WAR + NOUN | PREPOSITION | PHRASESADJECTIVE➤long, short長期/短期戰爭➤impending, ongoing即將爆發的/持續的戰爭▸➤bloody血腥的戰爭▸➤all-out, full-scale, total全面戰爭;總體戰◇Six years of total war had left no citizen untouched.6 年的全面戰爭讓所有的公民都受到了影響。➤limited有限戰爭➤pre-emptive, preventative (NAmE) 先發制人的/預防性戰爭▸➤holy, just, religious聖戰;正義之戰;宗教戰爭➤dirty骯髒的戰爭▸➤civil, global, world內戰;全球戰爭;世界大戰▸➤air, guerrilla空戰;游擊戰▸➤atomic, nuclear核戰爭➤conventional常規戰爭▸➤cold冷戰▸➤economic, trade經濟戰;貿易戰➤drug (especially NAmE) 毒品戰爭▸➤bidding, price投標戰;價格戰▸➤class, culture (especially NAmE) 階級鬥爭;文化戰爭➤turf(幫派)地盤爭奪戰➤phoney (BrE) 戰爭狀態VERB + WAR➤be in, fight in參戰;參加戰鬥◇My grandfather fought in the Korean War.我爺爺參加過朝鮮戰爭。➤fight, make, wage打仗;進行戰爭;發動戰爭◇The two countries fought a short but bloody war.兩個國家進行了一場短暫而血腥的戰爭。◇The Spartans were persuaded to make war on Athens.斯巴達人被說服對雅典人發動了戰爭。◇The terrorists were charged with waging war against the state.恐怖分子被指控發動反對國家的戰爭。➤win贏得戰爭▸➤lose輸掉戰爭▸➤declare宣戰➤enter參戰◇The United States entered the war in 1917.美國於 1917 年參戰。➤launch, start發動戰爭◇They launched a trade war against France.他們對法國發動了貿易戰。➤spark引發戰爭◇He fears the violence could spark a civil war.他害怕該暴力事件會引發內戰。➤go to開戰◇The country went to war in 1939.這個國家在 1939 年陷入戰爭中。➤end結束戰爭▸➤avert, prevent避免/防止戰爭▸➤be devastated by, be ravaged by遭受戰爭重創➤be killed in死於戰爭WAR + VERB➤approach, loom, threaten戰爭逼近/迫在眉睫/威脅▸➤begin, break out, come, erupt, start戰爭開始;戰爭爆發;戰爭來臨▸➤escalate, spread戰爭升級/擴大◇talks to prevent the war from escalating阻止戰爭升級的會談➤continue, drag on, go on, last, progress, rage, rage on戰爭繼續;戰事拖延;戰爭持續;戰爭激烈進行◇The war raged for nearly two years.激烈的戰爭持續了將近兩年。➤come to an end, end戰爭結束WAR + NOUN➤years戰爭年代◇the shortage of food during the war years戰爭年代的食物短缺➤hero, veteran戰鬥英雄;退伍軍人▸➤chief, leader戰爭首腦/領導人▸➤casualties, victims戰爭傷亡人員/受害者▸➤damage戰爭破壞▸➤correspondent戰地記者◇the war correspondent of a daily newspaper一家日報的戰地記者➤coverage戰爭報道◇critiques of the mainstream media's war coverage對主流媒體有關戰爭報道的評論➤artist, poet (both especially BrE) 戰爭題材藝術家/詩人▸➤zone戰區▸➤effort戰備◇Every available resource went towards / toward the war effort.一切可用的資源都投入到戰備中去了。➤record參戰經歷◇Both candidates have distinguished war records.兩位候選人都曾在戰爭中有過出色表現。➤wound戰爭創傷▸➤crime, criminal戰爭罪行;戰犯▸➤cemetery, graves, memorial陣亡將士墓地;戰爭紀念碑▸➤plan戰爭計劃▸➤aims戰爭目標➤game戰爭遊戲➤chest戰爭基金;專用資金◇The government has a $20-billion war chest to fight terrorism.政府有 200 億美元的反恐專用資金。➤reparations戰爭賠款▸➤bride, widow戰時新娘;戰爭遺孀▸➤booty戰利品▸➤cry, dance作戰時的吶喊;戰舞▸➤machine戰爭機器◇the Soviet war machine蘇聯戰爭機器PREPOSITION➤at war處於交戰狀態◇a country at war交戰國➤between the wars (= between the First and Second World Wars) , in (a/the) war在兩次世界大戰之間;在戰爭中◇killed in war陣亡◇He took part in the Vietnam War.他參加過越南戰爭。➤war against, war with針對⋯的戰爭◇the war against the French反法戰爭◇a war against drug abuse反毒品戰爭➤war between⋯之間的戰爭◇war between Iran and Iraq兩伊戰爭➤war for為了⋯的戰爭◇the Greek war for independence希臘獨立戰爭➤war of⋯的戰爭◇a war of liberation解放戰爭➤war on對⋯的戰爭◇The US declared war on Japan.美國對日宣戰。➤war with與⋯的戰爭◇a trade war with the United States與美國的貿易戰PHRASES➤the aftermath of the war戰爭的後果◇Unexploded mines were a big danger to civilians in the aftermath of the war.戰後,沒爆炸的地雷對平民構成了重大威脅。➤the brink of war戰爭的邊緣◇The crisis took Europe to the brink of war.這場危機把歐洲推到了戰爭邊緣。➤the course of a/the war戰爭期間◇He was wounded twice during the course of the war.他在戰爭期間受過兩次傷。➤a declaration of war戰爭宣言◇Congress has made a formal declaration of war.國會已經正式宣戰。➤the horrors of war戰爭的恐怖◇The country had just emerged from the horrors of civil war.這個國家剛剛擺脫內戰的恐怖。➤in a state of war處於交戰狀態◇The country was now in a state of war.該國正處在交戰狀態。➤in time of war, in times of war在戰時◇In times of war, troops were billeted in the mill.戰時,部隊駐紮在磨坊裏。➤on a war footing按戰備狀態◇The army had been placed on a war footing.部隊是按戰備狀態部署的。➤the outbreak of war戰爭爆發◇At the outbreak of war, most children were evacuated to the countryside.戰爭爆發的時候,大部份孩子被疏散到了鄉下。➤the outcome of a/the war戰爭的結果◇The outcome of the war was far from certain.戰爭的勝負還遠未確定。➤a prisoner of war戰俘◇He was held as a prisoner of war.他被作為戰俘關押起來了。➤a theatre/theater of war戰區◇The country has long been a theatre / theater of war.這個國家長期以來一直在打仗。➤a war of attrition消耗戰