Synonyms

war zone

American

noun

(during wartime) a combat area in which the rights of neutrals are suspended, as such an area on the high seas, where ships flying a neutral flag are subject to attack.

Etymology

Origin of war zone

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

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

The sea is sometimes so tranquil that Captain Hassan Khan forgets his ship has been stuck in the middle of a war zone for three months.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

The award "acknowledges the sacrifice and endurance of local Palestinian media professionals living and working in a war zone," said WAN-IFRA, which holds its 2026 World News Media Congress from Monday to Wednesday.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

One email seen by AFP came from a seafarer asking to confirm whether his salary would go from $16 a day to $32 because he was in a designated war zone.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

To wit: The continued reliance on oil leaves American consumers vulnerable to spikes in the price of gasoline—as might be expected when, for example, the Strait of Hormuz becomes a war zone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

The father of her unborn child was on the opposite side of the world in a war zone.

From "Ungifted" by Gordon Korman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023