we are not in a war

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we are not in a war" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to clarify that a situation does not involve conflict or warfare, often in discussions about political or social issues. Example: "Despite the tensions between the two countries, we are not in a war, and diplomatic efforts are still ongoing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

"We are not in a war.

Independent

"We are not in a war between the two of us.

The New York Times

Ms. Merkel emphasized that "we are not in a war or in a fight with Islam".

The New York Times

Yet it still seems remarkable that so many old faces are going when we are not in a war and nobody takes drugs any more.

The Guardian

"We are not in a war with the Iranians, so if we were involved in any way we would be culpable," says William Banks, an expert on national security law at Syracuse University.

The Guardian

"We are not in a war with London … but there is competition and we want to make Paris Europe's top financial centre," the head of the wider Paris region, Valérie Pécresse, told bankers.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

We're not in a war here.

The New York Times - Sports

We are not in a civil war.

Huffington Post

"We are not in the cold war.

The New York Times

"We are not in the cold war anymore," he said.

The New York Times

"We are not preparing for war.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "we are not in a war" to clearly state the absence of armed conflict, especially when addressing concerns or anxieties about potential hostilities. It's useful for reassuring an audience in tense situations.

Common error

Avoid using "we are not in a war" when simply describing a competitive environment. This phrase should be reserved for situations where there is a real concern about armed conflict, and never about situations that concern business or sport competitions. In such cases, different expressions should be used like "we are not fighting" or "we have not declared a war".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we are not in a war" functions as a declarative statement, specifically a negation. It serves to assert the absence of a state of war, as supported by examples found in Ludwig, where the phrase is used to clarify that a situation isn't an active military conflict.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "we are not in a war" is a grammatically sound and usable expression, used to convey the absence of armed conflict. While not exceedingly common, as indicated by Ludwig, it serves an important purpose in clarifying potentially tense situations. It's frequently found in news and media contexts, maintaining a neutral tone. The best practice is to use it when explicitly denying a state of war, while avoiding its misuse in less serious competitive scenarios. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is suitable for use in written English to ensure clarity and reassurance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we are not at war

Uses a slightly different preposition, 'at' instead of 'in', to convey the same meaning.

we are currently not in conflict

Adds 'currently' to emphasize the present state of non-conflict.

there is no war between us

Shifts the sentence structure to emphasize the lack of war between parties.

we are not engaged in hostilities

Replaces "in a war" with a more formal term, 'engaged in hostilities', indicating the absence of active conflict.

we are not involved in armed conflict

Substitutes "in a war" with a more descriptive phrase, 'involved in armed conflict', specifying the type of conflict.

we are not experiencing conflict

Replaces "in a war" with "experiencing conflict", broadening the scope to include various forms of conflict.

peace prevails between us

Uses a more poetic expression, 'peace prevails', to emphasize the state of non-conflict.

we are in a state of peace

Emphasizes the state of peace rather than the absence of war.

we maintain peaceful relations

Focuses on maintaining peaceful relations as opposed to being in a state of war.

hostilities have ceased

Focuses on the cessation of conflict, rather than the current state.

FAQs

What does it mean when someone says, "we are not in a war"?

It means there is no active armed conflict or state of war between the parties being discussed. It's often used to reassure or clarify a situation where tensions might suggest otherwise.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "we are not in a war"?

It's appropriate when you need to emphasize the absence of armed conflict, particularly in contexts where such conflict might be expected or feared. It helps to clarify the true nature of the relationship or situation.

What can I say instead of "we are not in a war"?

You can use alternatives like "we are not at war", "we are not engaged in hostilities", or "we maintain peaceful relations" depending on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "we are not in a war"?

Yes, the phrase "we are not in a war" is grammatically correct. It follows standard English sentence structure and is widely understood.