declared war
Formally began conflict
Declared war is armed conflict formally announced by a government through official channels, typically a legislative act.
The phrase distinguishes conflicts with legal declarations from undeclared hostilities: The last time Congress declared war was World War II.
The term often appears in discussions of constitutional war powers and international law.
- hostilitiesActive armed fighting
- armed conflictMilitary combat between groups
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- casus belliJustification for armed conflict
- ultimatumNon-negotiable final terms
battlefield · enemy lines · mobilization · war footing · call to arms · engagement · ceasefire · total war · boots on the ground · fighting · sovereignty · conflict · embargo · World War I · alliances · invasion · Pearl Harbor · pacifism
declared warproxy war
Conflict fought through intermediaries
covert operations · skirmish · police action · limited engagement · guerrilla warfare
declared warsurrendered
Ceased resistance formally
made peace · capitulated · unconditional surrender · submitted · de-escalated
declare, declared, declares, declaring, declaration, declarations, declarative, declaratory, undeclared