war of words
noun phrase
: an argument in which people or groups criticize and disagree with each other publicly and repeatedly for usually a long time
Rival groups have engaged in a war of words over the new law.
Examples of war of words in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The video sparked a firestorm when it was posted late last year and a war of words between Kelly and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
—
Luke Barr, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2026
The war of words comes as Democrats are favored to make major gains in the 2026 congressional midterms and have a decent chance of flipping the House and maybe even the Senate.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Jack Schlossberg, the nephew of Kennedy and a candidate for Congress, has been involved in an extensive and mutually harsh war of words with Murphy over the existence of a series made without the permission or input of the Kennedy family.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 3 Feb. 2026
Trump’s threat came amid an escalating war of words with Carney.
—Rob Gillies, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for war of words
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Luke Barr, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2026
The war of words comes as Democrats are favored to make major gains in the 2026 congressional midterms and have a decent chance of flipping the House and maybe even the Senate.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Jack Schlossberg, the nephew of Kennedy and a candidate for Congress, has been involved in an extensive and mutually harsh war of words with Murphy over the existence of a series made without the permission or input of the Kennedy family.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 3 Feb. 2026
Trump’s threat came amid an escalating war of words with Carney.
—Rob Gillies, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for war of words
Cite this Entry
“War of words.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/war%20of%20words. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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