declare war

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'declare war' is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used in a political or journalistic context when one state or nation invokes hostilities against another. For example, "The president declared war on the neighboring country in response to their recent act of aggression."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That he'd declare war on Malta.

The New York Times

CHAIT: Republicans declare war on math.

The Washington Post

These include the power to declare war.

The Guardian

Are you going declare war on AIDS?

The New York Times

In Korea, Congress did not declare war.

The New York Times

Let's declare war on Saudi Arabia!

The New York Times

"Did I declare war on our government?

The Guardian

Hitler says, "I declare war on Poland".

The New Yorker

"We do not declare war on people.

The New York Times

After all, we can't just "declare war"; we have to declare war on someone or something.

The Guardian - Opinion

Congress's constitutional prerogative to declare war has routinely been ignored.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the context: while "declare war" often refers to military conflicts, it can be used metaphorically to describe intense conflicts in other domains, such as business or politics. Ensure the figurative use is appropriate and impactful.

Common error

Avoid using "declare war" lightly in everyday conversations or writing. Overusing it diminishes its impact and can sound overly dramatic. Reserve it for situations where the intensity of conflict warrants such a strong expression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "declare war" functions as a performative verb phrase. It's a direct action that brings about a new state of affairs, namely the beginning of a state of war. Ludwig confirms this usage is grammatically sound and frequent.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Science

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "declare war" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression that denotes the formal commencement of hostilities. As Ludwig confirms, this phrase appears most commonly in News & Media, Academia, and Encyclopedias. While primarily used in a literal sense to describe international conflicts, it can also be employed metaphorically to illustrate intense disagreements in other domains. When using "declare war", it's important to consider the gravity of the phrase and ensure its appropriateness for the context. Alternatives such as "initiate hostilities" or "commence warfare" may be more suitable depending on the desired level of formality and intensity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

announce war

Focuses on the act of making the war known rather than the formal declaration.

initiate hostilities

Describes the beginning of war actions without necessarily a formal declaration.

commence warfare

Emphasizes the start of military conflict.

launch an attack

Focuses on the aggressive action that starts a conflict, less formal.

engage in conflict

Highlights the involvement in an ongoing conflict.

enter into conflict

Similar to engage in conflict but stresses the beginning of participation.

begin armed conflict

Specifies the nature of the conflict as involving weapons.

start a fight

A more informal way to describe initiating a conflict.

open fire

Emphasizes the beginning of shooting in a conflict situation.

take up arms

Highlights the action of preparing for war.

FAQs

How is "declare war" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "declare war" is used to indicate the formal commencement of hostilities between nations or groups. For example, "Congress has the power to "declare war"."

What are some alternatives to "declare war" that I can use?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "initiate hostilities", "commence warfare", or "launch an attack".

Is it grammatically correct to say "declared to war" instead of "declare war"?

No, "declared to war" is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is ""declare war"", where "declare" is a transitive verb that directly takes "war" as its object.

What's the difference between ""declare war"" and "wage war"?

"Declare war" refers to the formal act of initiating a war, while "wage war" refers to the actual act of conducting military operations and fighting in a war.