Phrase guide

state of war

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A state of armed conflict between states, irrespective of a declaration of war.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a legal state created by a declaration of war and ended by official declaration during which the international rules of war apply

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • war was declared in November but actual fighting did not begin until the following spring

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: war

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hostility, enmity, antagonism

Narrower terms: proxy war

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 戰爭狀態 /战争状态 — armed conflict between states
  • Finnish: sotatila — armed conflict between states
  • French: état de guerre — armed conflict between states
  • Romanian: stare de război — armed conflict between states
  • Russian: состояние войны (sostojanije vojny) — armed conflict between states