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holy war
noun
: 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
But as Paul starts to meet the prophetic expectations of his most fervent followers, there are signs of a holy war that could have terrible consequences.
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Scott Tobias, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Absolute Dominion takes place In the year 2063 AD, when the world faces catastrophe as zealots and extremists wage a global holy war in the name of spiritual superiority.
—
Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2025
His speech Sunday was steeped in the language of Islamic holy war.
—
Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Dec. 2024
The Justice Department said Aman wanted to join ISIS to engage in a holy war, or jihad, in Syria.
—
Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 7 Nov. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1639, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near holy war
Cite this Entry
“Holy war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy%20war. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
holy war
noun
: a war or violent campaign carried on for what is considered a holy purpose
More from Merriam-Webster on holy war
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for holy war
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about holy war
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