holy war

noun

Synonyms of holy warnext
: a war or violent campaign waged often by religious extremists for what is considered to be a holy purpose

Examples of holy war in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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This approach had a lasting impact, and even centuries after the mainline Crusades to the Holy Land ended, the pope continued to invoke the concept of holy war to justify resistance against the Ottoman Empire and other Muslim entities. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026 Get ready for a 17-year time jump, as Timothée Chalamet's older, more jaded Paul Atreides continues to wrestle with holy war, his messianic status, and the fallout from opting to marry Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) rather than his Fremen girlfriend Chani (Zendaya). Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 Mar. 2026 Huffman is eager to find out more about claims that the military is promoting its operation in Iran as a holy war. Alexei Koseff, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Mar. 2026 And now religion has raised its ugly head in addresses to American troops about the conflict in Iran being a holy war and part of God’s plan. Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for holy war

Word History

First Known Use

1639, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of holy war was in 1639

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Cite this Entry

“Holy war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy%20war. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

holy war

noun
: a war or violent campaign carried on for what is considered a holy purpose

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