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

Local resident Aileen Firth, a human resources officer, said: "Every weekend when you come down the street you will hear the war cry 'there's no money'."

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2025

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

Before every game last summer, players on the youth national team would utter a simple war cry: “Laban!”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2023

Then Menelaos of the great war cry asked me my errand in that ancient land of Lakedaimon.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer