hot war

noun

Synonyms of hot warnext
: a conflict involving actual fighting compare cold war

Synonyms of hot war

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Examples of hot war in a Sentence

fortunately, the cool relationship between the two nations never escalated into a hot war
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Iran for 47 years now has been at war — with the United States, with Iraq, economic war and now hot war. — Mishal Husain, Bloomberg, 13 Mar. 2026 But against the backdrop of a hot war between Israel and Iranian proxy Hezbollah, Aoun declined the call. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026 There are hot wars in Ukraine and Gaza, cold wars on the Korean peninsula and in the Taiwan Strait, and budding wars in Iran and parts of Africa. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026 Yet deliberate hot war still ranks as the least likely of the five traps, because nuclear arsenals and deep commercial ties make escalation catastrophically expensive for both governments. — Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for hot war

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hot war was in 1947

Rhymes for hot war

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Browse Nearby Words

hot wall
hot war
hot water
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Cite this Entry

“Hot war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20war. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hot war

noun
: a conflict involving actual fighting
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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