How to Use holy war in a Sentence

holy war

noun
  • The other was to claim the mantle of the global leader of a holy war.
    — Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2021
  • Is there a holy war between oval and square devotees and this was the compromise?
    — Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 24 Mar. 2023
  • For Torba, this seems to be a welcome challenge, something akin to a holy war.
    — Jacob Silverman, The New Republic, 23 Aug. 2021
  • Paul knows from his own dreams that this sparked holy war he's just started will kill billions (with a B) of people.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024
  • Paul knows from his own dreams that this sparked holy war he's just started will kill billions (with a B) of people.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024
  • His speech Sunday was steeped in the language of Islamic holy war.
    — Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Solovyov claims that Russia is embroiled in a holy war against Ukraine and the West.
    — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 9 Jan. 2023
  • Some reportedly described their struggle as akin to the opening salvo of a holy war.
    — Desiree Stennett, orlandosentinel.com, 29 Oct. 2021
  • The mission takes on the solemnity of a holy war, and the conclusion, even if it’s preordained, packs a shocking punch.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
  • And at the center of this web are the ayatollahs declaring holy war on the Great Satan (which is us).
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Jan. 2024
  • Contributors there continue to employ the language of holy war.
    — Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 15 May 2024
  • To fight those who aid and abet trafficking—as Exodus Cry claims that Pornhub does—is to wage holy war.
    — Melissa Gira Grant, The New Republic, 10 Dec. 2020
  • Huffman is eager to find out more about claims that the military is promoting its operation in Iran as a holy war.
    — Alexei Koseff, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Officials here fear that the Taliban takeover in Kabul could embolden such extremists to launch a new holy war at home.
    — Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2021
  • These young martyrs in training found the perfect holy war in the American Revolution.
    — San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2021
  • Paul’s reluctance to fall into the role created for him isn’t the usual self-doubt, but the dread of someone who begins to believe he’s meant to initiate a holy war.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2021
  • Plus the star himself has openly expressed interest in returning to the holy war raging on the streets of Los Angeles.
    — Meredith Woerner, Variety, 16 Sep. 2022
  • 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.
    — Scott Tobias, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Many rioters, a largely white group, were motivated by religious fervor and saw themselves as participants in a kind of holy war.
    — New York Times, 7 Feb. 2021
  • Following a holy war between Europe and Islam, the world has splintered into a series of miniature nations.
    — Aaron Timms, The New Republic, 2 Sep. 2022
  • And now religion has raised its ugly head in addresses to American troops about the conflict in Iran being a holy war and part of God’s plan.
    — Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The series tries to stage a Christian versus pagan holy war while recognizing the multifaceted nature of religious life at the time.
    — David M. Perry, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Feb. 2022
  • QAnon became a holy war, while PoGo remained a game, requiring a willing suspension of disbelief.
    — Virginia Heffernan, Wired, 22 Sep. 2020
  • While Tedesco calls for a holy war in response to the attack, Benitez takes a different approach, declaring that violence should not be met with more violence.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 27 Feb. 2025
  • While Tedesco calls for a holy war in response to the attack, Benitez takes a different approach, declaring that violence should not be met with more violence.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • With Gamestop, this eventually wrapped back around into something that’s part cult, part get-rich-quick scheme, part righteous holy war against investors, and part cyberpunk cautionary tale.
    — Amber Dasilva / Jalopnik, Quartz, 11 July 2024
  • In 1992, the government pressured Muslim clerics to declare a holy war against Nuba who opposed the regime.
    — Nicolas Niarchos, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
  • Piracy during the early centuries was mainly religiously motivated — Al-jihad fi’l-bahr, or holy war at sea.
    — David F. Eisner, National Review, 31 May 2021
  • Busch has framed her quest to unearth election fraud in Arizona — which has been debunked by independent investigators — in the language of a religious holy war.
    — Azi Paybarah, Washington Post, 27 June 2024
  • That the language of spiritual warfare, demonic forces, good and evil is creating exactly the sort of radical worldview that could turn politics into holy war.
    — Stephanie McCrummen, Anchorage Daily News, 12 July 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'holy war.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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