as in war
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups
Both sides agreed to cease all hostilities.
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Recent Examples of hostilities
Those presidents asked for permission to conduct hostilities because the supreme law of the land, the Constitution, unambiguously vests the war power in Congress.
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Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Almost three years since the start of the Sudanese civil war, there are few signs of the hostilities ending soon, with experts fearing the world’s gravest humanitarian crisis could yet worsen.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Tatami was released in the United States in June during a particular escalation of the Israel–Gaza hostilities, which did two things at once.
—Corey Seymour, Vogue, 27 Dec. 2025
The pause in the trade hostilities and escalating tariffs between the two nations did not result in another surge of orders for holiday replenishment, according to survey.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2025
Smith said the hearing was a global call to action and that there must be an immediate cessation of hostilities between the warring factions.
—Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025
The key sticking point in negotiations has been whether Ukraine will be required to cede territory to Russia in exchange for an end to hostilities.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 10 Dec. 2025
These guys were, were barely alive, much less engaging in hostilities.
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
What Happens Next The current lull in hostilities may be more strategic than permanent, offering a brief window for both sides to reassess and recalibrate.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hostilities
Noun
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American forces built about a dozen bases of varying size in Greenland during and after the war.—
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And analysts say that countries, including smaller developing markets, may be more wary of irking China, even to protect the growth of their own manufacturing sectors – especially when contending with a US trade war.—
Noun
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Authorities said the display was likely the result of a conflict between criminal groups operating in the area.—
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Calvo said the city’s contract with consulting firm NCGA LLC raises potential conflict-of-interest concerns.—
Cite this Entry
“Hostilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hostilities. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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