cold war

noun
UK: /ˌkoʊld ˈwɔːr/
US: /ˌkoʊld ˈwɔːr/

  1. A state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare, in particular the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union in the decades following World War II.

    1. The cold war ended many years ago now.
    2. During the cold war, many people feared nuclear war between the superpowers.

  2. A situation resembling an international cold war, arising when two groups or people are very unfriendly, but are not fighting each other.

    1. There's a cold war going on in my family right now.
    2. A cold war developed between the two departments after the reorganization plan.

Synonyms

standoff brinkmanship confrontation
cold war adjective

  1. Relating to or characteristic of the cold war.

    1. This is a cold war era weapon.
    2. The film explores themes relevant to the cold war mentality of the time.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "cold war" in English means: A state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare, in particular the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union in the decades following World War II., A situation resembling an international cold war, arising when two groups or people are very unfriendly, but are not fighting each other..

The phonetic transcription of "cold war" is /ˌkoʊld ˈwɔːr/ in British English and /ˌkoʊld ˈwɔːr/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "cold war": standoff, brinkmanship, confrontation.

Example usage of "cold war": "The cold war ended many years ago now.". More examples on the page.