war
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
How often you will meet it
Rank 587 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 33,271 times across 173,499 chapters — 0.016% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
noun
- the waging of armed conflict against an enemy also: warfare thousands of people were killed in the war
- a legal state created by a declaration of war and ended by official declaration during which the international rules of war apply also: state of war war was declared in November but actual fighting did not begin until the following spring
- an active struggle between competing entities also: warfare a price wara war of wits
- a concerted campaign to end something that is injurious the war on povertythe war against crime
verb
- make or wage war
war in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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XI From that morning war was declared.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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They were constantly at war with the Romans.
Narrative and Lyric Poems (first series) · O. J. [Annotator] Stevenson · Chapter 1
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The troublous colic o’ intestine war It sets the bowels o’ affection ajar.
John Marr and Other Poems · Herman Melville · Chapter 1
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As to the actual history of that war, it may be said that nothing is known.
The Odyssey of Homer · 751? BCE-651? BCE Homer · Chapter 1
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Lieutenant General Sherman was to have been of the party also, but the Indian war compelled his presence on the plains.
The Innocents Abroad — Volume 01 · Mark Twain · Chapter 1