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
The late Pope Francis organized a similar vigil in 2013 for Syria – to rally against the civil war and reject military intervention – which was attended by around 100,000 people.
—
Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
The most controversial and debated article on Mint Press News is about the use of chemical agents in the Syrian civil war.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Sectarian tensions are a sensitive issue in Lebanon because the country fought a 15-year civil war ending in 1990 that largely broke down along sectarian lines.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Syria policy and sanctions questions The report also examines Turkey’s role in Syria, where the country backed opposition forces during the civil war, supporting a range of armed factions, including groups that later formed the Syrian National Army.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil war
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Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
The most controversial and debated article on Mint Press News is about the use of chemical agents in the Syrian civil war.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Sectarian tensions are a sensitive issue in Lebanon because the country fought a 15-year civil war ending in 1990 that largely broke down along sectarian lines.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Syria policy and sanctions questions The report also examines Turkey’s role in Syria, where the country backed opposition forces during the civil war, supporting a range of armed factions, including groups that later formed the Syrian National Army.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
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 6 Apr. 2026.
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