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world war
noun
: a war engaged in by all or most of the principal nations of the world
especially,
World War
: either of two such wars of the first half of the 20th century
Examples of world war in a Sentence
He fought in both World Wars.
The nations were prepared for world war.
Recent Examples on the Web
But behind Miller's success, a world war was raging.
—
Julian Ring, NPR, 14 Dec. 2024
This, more than isolated battles, is what defines a world war.
—
Bryce Hoffman, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
And together with the established Native, Black, Latino and Anglo populations, these new Americans and their descendants helped the United States develop a booming industrial economy and win two world wars.
—
Marcela Valdes, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
The imperial and hegemonic orders of the past were killed off in the twentieth century by the two world wars.
—
Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
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Word History
First Known Use
1848, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near world war
Cite this Entry
“World war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/world%20war. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
world war
noun
: a war involving all or most of the chief nations of the world
especially, capitalized both Ws
: either of two such wars of the 20th century
More from Merriam-Webster on world war
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for world war
Britannica English: Translation of world war for Arabic Speakers
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