wage war
Engage in combat
To wage war is to engage in armed conflict against an enemy, conducting military operations over a sustained period.
The phrase emphasizes active prosecution of hostilities rather than merely being at war: The rebels waged war against the government for a decade.
Figuratively, one wages war against social problems, disease, or abstract enemies: waging war on misinformation.
- battlefieldCombat engagement area
- boots on the groundMilitary presence in area
- front linesActive battle area
- aerial bombardmentAttack by aircraft-dropped explosives
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
treaty · artillery · offensive · hostilities · revolution · reconnaissance · sanctions · peace talks · ideological conflict · hearts and minds · displacement · military campaign · siege · scorched earth · trauma · invasion · resilience · invade
- conflictclash, fight, battle, dispute, feud
- economic problemsmarket failure, recession, inflation, deflation, stagflation
- royal actionscoronation, decree, abdication, reign, knighting
wage warmake peace
Resolve conflict between parties
keep the peace · reconcile · cooperate · collaborate · bury the hatchet
wage warsurrender
Cease resistance, yield
capitulate · lay down arms · yield · submit · stand down
war, wage, wages, warrior, warfare, wars, wager, warring, warlike