cold war

noun

1
: a conflict over ideological differences carried on by methods short of sustained overt military action and usually without breaking off diplomatic relations
specifically, often capitalized C&W : the ideological conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the second half of the 20th century compare hot war
2
: a condition of rivalry, mistrust, and often open hostility short of violence especially between power groups (such as labor and management)

Examples of cold war in a Sentence

the era of the Cold War the cold war between the party's more liberal and conservative members
Recent Examples on the Web The vote was the latest development in a yearslong cold war between the United States and China over who controls valuable technology from computer chips to artificial intelligence. Sapna Maheshwari, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Taiwan is in a sense the West Berlin of the new cold war unfolding between Beijing and the free world. Andrew S. Erickson, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2024 Johnson departed before the 1994 season and a cold war between the two lasted for roughly 30 seasons. Clarence E. Hill Jr., Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Feb. 2024 California’s central role in producing weaponry and training military personnel continued after the war because the United States soon found itself in a cold war with the Soviet Union, one aspect of which was a hot war in Korea and later another conflict in Southeast Asia. Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024 Half a century later, as Washington adjusts to the realities of a new cold war, détente could again be derailed by hawks. Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 The second cold war is intensifying Africa’s democratic recession. Foreign Affairs, 20 Sep. 2023 Enzo and Laura live together in a state of cold war that occasionally erupts into fire. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023 Xi wants to hear from Biden that the American president will not support Taiwan independence, will not start a new cold war and will not suppress China’s economic growth. Byaamer Madhani, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cold war was in 1909

Dictionary Entries Near cold war

Cite this Entry

“Cold war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold%20war. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cold war

noun
: a struggle over political differences (as of two nations) carried on by methods short of war and usually without breaking off diplomatic relations

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