declaration of war
Formal hostility notice
A declaration of war is a formal announcement by a government that it considers itself at war with another nation.
Historically, declarations preceded military action, but modern conflicts often begin without them.
The phrase extends to any explicit announcement of hostile intent: The lawsuit was a declaration of war against the company's board.
Non-negotiable final terms
- treatyBinding pact between nations
- ambassadorOfficial foreign representative
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
alliance · embargo · sanction · envoy · mediation · summit · ratification · statecraft
Warlike aggression
- warmongeringPromoting or inciting warfare
- militarismPro-force national policy
- expansionismPolicy of territorial growth
- imperialismExtending dominion over others
preemptive strike · provocation · escalation · annexation · saber-rattling · jingoism · hawkishness · first strike
Active armed fighting
- warfareArmed conflict between groups
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- battlefieldCombat engagement area
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
invasion · offensive · engagement · skirmish · frontline · assault · campaign · trenches
Hawaiian military port attacked 1941
- Archduke FerdinandAustrian throne's heir
- Gulf of TonkinInlet between Vietnam, China
- Zimmermann TelegramCoded WWI diplomatic intercept
- LusitaniaWWI maritime casualty
September 1939 · armistice · Axis · Allies · Triple Entente
Public declaration of information
- decreeAuthoritative legal command
- pronouncementFormal authoritative statement
- communiquéOfficial governmental announcement
- broadcastTransmitted media signal
formal notice · congressional resolution · parliamentary vote · public address · notification · executive order · legislative act
ultimatum
Non-negotiable final terms
- treatyBinding pact between nations
- ambassadorOfficial foreign representative
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
sovereignty · alliance · embargo · sanction · envoy · mediation · summit · ratification · statecraft · détente
belligerence
Warlike aggression
- warmongeringPromoting or inciting warfare
- militarismPro-force national policy
- expansionismPolicy of territorial growth
imperialism · preemptive strike · provocation · escalation · annexation · saber-rattling · jingoism · hawkishness · first strike
hostilities
Active armed fighting
- warfareArmed conflict between groups
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- battlefieldCombat engagement area
siege · invasion · offensive · engagement · skirmish · frontline · assault · campaign · trenches · resistance
Pearl Harbor
Hawaiian military port attacked 1941
- Archduke FerdinandAustrian throne's heir
- Gulf of TonkinInlet between Vietnam, China
- Zimmermann TelegramCoded WWI diplomatic intercept
Lusitania · September 1939 · armistice · Axis · Allies · Triple Entente
announcement
Public declaration of information
- decreeAuthoritative legal command
- pronouncementFormal authoritative statement
- communiquéOfficial governmental announcement
broadcast · formal notice · congressional resolution · parliamentary vote · public address · notification · executive order · legislative act
- War Speechesfinest hour, never surrender, day of infamy, Gettysburg Address, victory speech
- WWI causesassassination, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Sarajevo, militarism, alliances
- declarationsdeclarations, proclamation, proclamations, announcement, announcements
- Congress powersspending power, impeachment, lawmaking, appropriations, borrowing power
- government powersexecutive power, judicial power, legislative power, war powers, police power
- war mobilizationmobilization, troop mobilization, military draft, selective service, mobilization orders
declaration of warpeace treaty
Formal end to hostilities
armistice · ceasefire · truce · peace accord · armistice agreement
declaration of waralliance
Formal union of parties
non-aggression pact · détente · entente · rapprochement · diplomatic recognition
declaration, declare, declared, declaring, declarative, declaratory, declarer