war broke out

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "war broke out" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to refer to a historic event when a war began, or a more recent event involving a current conflict. For example, "In August of 1914, war broke out in Europe when Germany declared war on Russia."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

A few weeks later, the Korean War broke out.

The New York Times

Helmut Kohl was nine when the Second World War broke out.

The Times

War broke out.

BBC

Days later, the Second World War broke out.

Los Angeles Times

During this time the First World War broke out.

Wikipedia

Fifty years ago this month, the Six-Day War broke out.

Huffington Post

Soon, the Civil War broke out.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Four months later the war broke out.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

So a price war breaks out.

Forbes

Price wars broke out.

The New York Times

Civil wars broke out.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "war broke out" to clearly and concisely indicate the start of a war or armed conflict in historical, political, or narrative contexts. It's a widely understood and accepted way to convey this information.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect tenses such as "war breaks out" when referring to a past event. "War broke out" is the correct past tense form to indicate that a war began at a specific point in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "war broke out" functions as an idiomatic expression indicating the commencement of armed conflict or hostilities. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is widely accepted in English. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate its frequent use in historical contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "war broke out" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate the beginning of a war or armed conflict. Ludwig AI confirms its accuracy and widespread acceptance. It is most frequently found in news and media sources, maintaining a neutral register suitable for a broad audience. For alternative phrasing, consider options like "war commenced" or "hostilities initiated", depending on the desired level of formality and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

war commenced

Replaces "broke out" with the more formal "commenced", indicating a formal start.

war erupted

Uses "erupted" to suggest a sudden and violent outbreak of war.

war began

A simpler and more direct way of saying that a war started.

hostilities initiated

Employs more formal and technical language, focusing on the start of hostile actions.

conflict ignited

Uses "ignited" to convey a sense of sudden and forceful escalation into war.

fighting started

Focuses on the physical act of fighting, emphasizing the initiation of combat.

the war ignited

Similar to "conflict ignited", but specifies "the war" for clarity.

armed conflict began

More explicit about the nature of the conflict, specifying "armed conflict".

outbreak of war occurred

A more descriptive and slightly more formal alternative.

the conflict commenced

Similar to "war commenced", but refers to "the conflict" more generally.

FAQs

What does "war broke out" mean?

The phrase "war broke out" means that a war suddenly began. It implies the start of armed conflict or hostilities between groups or nations.

How can I use "war broke out" in a sentence?

You can use "war broke out" to describe the beginning of a conflict, for example, "World War II broke out in 1939 after Germany invaded Poland."

What can I say instead of "war broke out"?

You can use alternatives like "war commenced", "hostilities initiated", or "conflict ignited" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "war breaks out" instead of "war broke out"?

While "war breaks out" is grammatically correct, it refers to a future or habitual event. "War broke out" is used to describe a past event, indicating that a war began at a specific time.