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1war

noun, often attributive \ˈwȯr\

: a state or period of fighting between countries or groups

: a situation in which people or groups compete with or fight against each other

: an organized effort by a government or other large organization to stop or defeat something that is viewed as dangerous or bad

Full Definition of WAR

1
a (1) :  a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations (2) :  a period of such armed conflict (3) :  state of war
b :  the art or science of warfare
c (1) obsolete :  weapons and equipment for war (2) archaic :  soldiers armed and equipped for war
2
a :  a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism
b :  a struggle or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end <a class war> <a war against disease>
c :  variance, odds 3
— war·less \-ləs\ adjective
See war defined for English-language learners
See war defined for kids
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Origin of WAR

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
First Known Use: 12th century

Related to WAR

Synonyms
conflagration, conflict, hostilities, hot war
Antonyms
peace

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

Rhymes with WAR

boar, Boer, bore, chore, cor, core, corps, crore, door, floor, for, fore, four, frore, gore, Gore, hoar, lore, mor, more, nor, o'er, oar, or, ore, poor, pore, pour, roar, score, shore, snore, soar, sore, splore, spoor, spore, store, Thor, tor, torr, whore, yore, your

2war

verb
warredwar·ring

Definition of WAR

intransitive verb
1
:  to be in active or vigorous conflict
2
:  to engage in warfare

First Known Use of WAR

13th century

3war

adverb or adjective \ˈwär\

Definition of WAR

chiefly Scottish
:  worse

Origin of WAR

Middle English werre, from Old Norse verri, adjective, verr, adverb; akin to Old English wiersa worse — more at worse
First Known Use: 13th century

4war

verb \ˈwär\
warredwar·ring

Definition of WAR

transitive verb
Scottish
:  worst, overcome

First Known Use of WAR

15th century
WAR Defined for Kids

1war

noun \ˈwȯr\

Definition of WAR for Kids

1
:  a state or period of fighting between states or nations
2
:  a struggle between opposing forces or for a particular end <the war on poverty>

2war

verb
warredwar·ring

Definition of WAR for Kids

:  to engage in a series of battles

Learn More About WAR

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83 ENTRIES FOUND:
  1. war
  2. war baby
  3. war bag
  4. war belt
  5. war bride
  6. war captain
  7. war chest
  8. war clause
  9. war cloud
  10. war club
  11. war correspondent
  12. war crime
  13. war cry
  14. war dance
  15. war debt
  16. War Democrat
  17. war dog
  18. war drum
  19. war eagle
  20. war feast
  21. war footing
  22. war game
  23. war-game
  24. war hammer
  25. war hatchet
  26. war hawk
  27. war kite
  28. war note
  29. war of nerves
  30. war paint
Next Word in the Dictionary: warabiPrevious Word in the Dictionary: waqfAll Words Near: war
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