limited war

noun

1. a war conducted with less than a nation's total resources and restricted in aim to less than total defeat of the enemy.
2. a war restricted to a relatively small area of the world and involving few warring nations.

limited war

noun

1. a war in which the belligerents do not seek the total destruction of the enemy, esp one in which nuclear weapons are deliberately not used

Word History and Origins

Origin of limited war¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

President Obama 2, you warn that it's difficult to wage only a limited war.

From The Daily Beast

We intend to wage a so-called "limited war," when there is, in fact, no such thing.

From The Daily Beast

We are left, in fact, with an impression that there must be two kinds of limited war.

From Project Gutenberg

Before leaving the general consideration of limited war, we have still to deal with a form of it that has not yet been mentioned.

From Project Gutenberg

Now these are in effect the conditions which limited war should give—that is, if the theatre and method be rightly chosen.

From Project Gutenberg

In the Japanese case the immediate political object was exceptionally well adapted for the use of limited war.

From Project Gutenberg

The theoretical weakness of limited war at this point is the arrest of your offensive action.

From Project Gutenberg