Napoleonic Wars

American  

plural noun

1. the intermittent wars (1796–1815) waged by France principally against England, Prussia, Austria, and Russia.

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Napoleonic Wars British  

plural noun

1. the series of wars fought between France, under Napoleon Bonaparte, and (principally) Great Britain, Prussia, Russia, and Austria either alone or in alliances (1799–1815)

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Example Sentences

Even before World War I and II, war had ravaged the European continent, from the Napoleonic Wars to the Franco-Prussian War.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

In terms of the number of troops in its regular forces, the British Army is now at its smallest size since the time of the Napoleonic Wars two centuries ago.

From BBC • Jul. 15, 2024

Most accounts of the Rothschilds’ wealth trace its origins to a decision to finance the British military in the Napoleonic Wars.

From New York Times • Feb. 26, 2024

In 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars, Britain seized the island from Denmark after imposing a naval blockade on Europe.

From National Geographic • Jan. 17, 2024

He had first expressed an interest in setting the poem to music when he was in his early twenties, before the full weight of the Napoleonic Wars began to envelop Europe.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall