war cry

American  

noun

1. a cry, word, phrase, etc., shouted in charging or in rallying to attack; battle cry.

2. a slogan, phrase, or motto used to unite a political party, rally support for a cause, etc.

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war cry British  

noun

1. a rallying cry used by combatants in battle

2. a cry, slogan, etc, used to rally support for a cause

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Etymology

Origin of war cry

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

"Their war cry is 'let's live life, let's live it healthily, let's live well,' and obviously this fascinates me."

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

I didn’t realize, but there’s a law that says that each of these Elphaba’s figure out their war cry.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2024

His war cry of “Let’s go!” in Spanish draws motivation for Alcaraz when he faces difficulty, and revs up his fans.

From Washington Times • Apr. 28, 2023

At the lectern, she quoted the war cry of the American Revolution: “Give me liberty or give me death.”

From New York Times • Sep. 6, 2022

With a war cry, Sosie grabbed her spear, and she and Jennifer ran after it, full-bore, without second-guessing.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray