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holy war
noun
: a war or violent campaign waged often by religious extremists for what is considered to be a holy purpose
Examples of holy war in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Absolute Dominion takes place In the year 2063 AD, when the world faces catastrophe as zealots and extremists wage a global holy war in the name of spiritual superiority.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2025
His speech Sunday was steeped in the language of Islamic holy war.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Dec. 2024
The Justice Department said Aman wanted to join ISIS to engage in a holy war, or jihad, in Syria.
—Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 7 Nov. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1639, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near holy war
Cite this Entry
“Holy war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy%20war. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
holy war
noun
: a war or violent campaign carried on for what is considered a holy purpose
More from Merriam-Webster on holy war
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for holy war
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about holy war
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