Meaning & use
waging a war
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
The act of starting and continuing a war or a determined campaign against someone or something.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; it often follows 'be' or a verb like 'start' or 'continue': 'They are waging a war against poverty.'
Patterns
- waging a war against someone
- waging a war on something
- be waging a war
The two countries have been waging a war for control of the border region.
The government is waging a war on plastic waste.
She accused the company of waging a war against small businesses.
Common combinations
- waging a war against
- The rebels are waging a war against the government.
- waging a war on drugs
- The president promised to keep waging a war on drugs.
- waging a war of words
- The two politicians are waging a war of words in the press.
- waging a war for independence
- The region has been waging a war for independence for years.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fighting a war
- More general; it can mean taking part in battles, while 'waging a war' stresses the organized, ongoing campaign.
- conducting a campaign
- Often used for non-military struggles, such as public health or politics; 'waging a war' is stronger and more dramatic.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: waging a war or waging?
waging a war vs waging
'Waging' is only the -ing form of the verb 'wage'; it is not used alone as a noun. You need the full phrase 'waging a war' or 'waging a campaign'.
Practice
The country has been ______ a war against corruption for a decade.
Choose one answer.
After 'has been' we need the -ing form, so 'waging' is correct. 'Waging in' is wrong because 'wage' does not take 'in' here. 'Waged' is the past participle, which does not fit after 'has been' in this continuous sense. 'Wages' is the third-person singular present, which cannot follow 'has been'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “waging a war”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.