declare war
idiom
: to officially decide to fight or go to war
Congress has the power to declare war on/against other countries.
—often used figurativelyThe state has declared war on illiteracy.
Examples of declare war in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war so decisions of war and peace remain with the people’s representatives, not a single executive.
—
Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
That’s sort of a crazy definition of war because our job is to initiate or declare war.
—NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, and Kaine said the resolution would show Congress taking back its inherent authority from the President.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
The Constitution vests Congress with the authority to declare war.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for declare war
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Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
That’s sort of a crazy definition of war because our job is to initiate or declare war.
—NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, and Kaine said the resolution would show Congress taking back its inherent authority from the President.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
The Constitution vests Congress with the authority to declare war.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for declare war
Cite this Entry
“Declare war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/declare%20war. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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