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total war is not in our dictionary (yet). Here's what it could mean:

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noun

  • A form of conflict in which a nation mobilizes its entire society and all available resources, military and civilian, for the war effort, often disregarding limitations on the targets or methods of combat.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“There is a risk we will go back to a total war even if neither side wants it.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

“I think it will be a total war tomorrow, so I’ll do my best to hold the opposition in the spots entrusted to me,” Sasaki said in Japanese.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2025

Thesaurus

Possible Synonyms

  • war of attrition
  • absolute warfare
  • unrestricted warfare
  • all-out war
  • nation-on-nation conflict

Possible Antonyms

Words in our thesaurus

other words

  • low-intensity conflict
  • conventional warfare
  • proxy war

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