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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
See all Example Sentences for world war
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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 8 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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