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
Casselberry Coin Club: The program will be a slide show about English civil war siege tokens.
—
Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 July 2025
After more than two years of civil war, the scale of obliteration was utterly tragic.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 30 July 2025
Although the United States and Israel both claim to want peace, security and stability in a country whose nearly 14-year civil war ended in December, the two states aren’t playing by the same set of rules and don’t even share the same goals.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 28 July 2025
Violence in the borderlands between the countries -- which split when South Sudan gained independence in 2011 -- leaves the world's youngest nation in a precarious place only seven years after a cease-fire in its own civil war.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil war
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Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 July 2025
After more than two years of civil war, the scale of obliteration was utterly tragic.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 30 July 2025
Although the United States and Israel both claim to want peace, security and stability in a country whose nearly 14-year civil war ended in December, the two states aren’t playing by the same set of rules and don’t even share the same goals.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 28 July 2025
Violence in the borderlands between the countries -- which split when South Sudan gained independence in 2011 -- leaves the world's youngest nation in a precarious place only seven years after a cease-fire in its own civil war.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 22 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 8 Aug. 2025.
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