cyberwar
noun
cy·ber·war
ˈsī-bər-ˌwȯr 
plural cyberwars
1
: a state of conflict (as between nations) in which attacks are carried out by means of cyber warfare
In a cyberwar, the offensive force picks the battlefield, and the other side may not even realize when it's under attack.—
Gregory Vistica
Gregory VisticaAlso, unlike warfare in the real world, cyberwars are won and lost by private sector companies and their ability to protect their networks and spot attacks.—Franz-Stefan Gady
Franz-Stefan Gady2
: cyber warfare
That BBC conversation went into a discussion of cyberwarfare, and I made the point that I thought the role of cyberwar in conflict had been overestimated.—David G. W. Birch
David G. W. BirchExamples of cyberwar in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Exactly why wasn’t discussed directly, but reading between the lines, the Chinese participants–specifically those from the People's Liberation Army–didn’t like the possible U.S. response if China was identified as a cyberwar aggressor.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Apr. 2012
In 2022, the United States was ready, with the aid of the big tech companies, to help defend Ukraine’s information technology systems from what Washington expected would be a Russian cyberwar.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
National Security Meet the man leading the front-line effort in Ukraine's cyberwar with Russia
Sources speculate that the messages were artfully crafted to not use specific slurs, possibly sketchy URLs or obviously malicious language that filters would catch.
—Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 2 Feb. 2025
The Israelis would want significant combat support: the highest-grade intelligence from surveillance aircraft and satellites; cyberwar assistance; advanced munitions; aerial refueling.
—James Stavridis, The Mercury News, 8 Oct. 2024
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IEEE Spectrum, 16 Apr. 2012
In 2022, the United States was ready, with the aid of the big tech companies, to help defend Ukraine’s information technology systems from what Washington expected would be a Russian cyberwar.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
National Security Meet the man leading the front-line effort in Ukraine's cyberwar with Russia
Sources speculate that the messages were artfully crafted to not use specific slurs, possibly sketchy URLs or obviously malicious language that filters would catch.
—Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 2 Feb. 2025
The Israelis would want significant combat support: the highest-grade intelligence from surveillance aircraft and satellites; cyberwar assistance; advanced munitions; aerial refueling.
—James Stavridis, The Mercury News, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cyberwar
Cite this Entry
“Cyberwar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyberwar. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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