wartime

IPA/ˈwɔːtaɪm/
KK[wˈɔrtˌaɪm]IPA/ˈwɔːrtaɪm/

wartime — noun

1. the time when countries or groups are actively fighting each other in a war

1.nounB1
Definition

the time when countries or groups are actively fighting each other in a war

Example

During wartime, many families leave their homes and move to safer areas.

during wartime as a time phrase

The town hospital stayed open throughout wartime, treating both soldiers and local people.

Common collocations
  • during wartime
  • in wartime
  • wartime government
  • wartime economy
  • wartime conditions
  • wartime experiences
Synonyms
  • time of war

    a literal phrase that can replace 'wartime' in most contexts, slightly more formal

  • period of conflict

    broader and more formal; includes any armed struggle, not necessarily a declared war

  • hostilities

    formal, legal term for active fighting between countries; used in official announcements

Antonyms
  • peacetime

    the period when a country is not at war

Grammar Patterns

during wartime

in wartime

Usage Note

Wartime is an uncountable noun and does not normally take an article (not 'a wartime'). It appears most often in the fixed prepositional phrases 'during wartime' and 'in wartime'.

Common Mistakes

My grandfather lived through a wartime.
My grandfather lived through wartime.
Wartime is uncountable; do not use 'a' before it.
Wartime is a terrible thing.
War is a terrible thing.
Use 'war' when referring to the conflict itself, not the period.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Wartime' refers specifically to the period when a war is being fought, not the war itself. You live through wartime but fight in a war. 'War' is the general term for the armed struggle between countries or groups — broader because it includes the causes, events, and consequences. 'Conflict' is the widest of the four, covering any serious disagreement or fight, from a trade dispute to a full-scale war. 'Hostilities' is a formal, legal term for the active fighting phase of a war, often used in news reports and peace treaties ('the cessation of hostilities'). Example: 'During wartime, civilians face shortages.' 'The war lasted six years.' 'The border conflict between the two nations escalated.'

wartime ↗war ↗conflict ↗hostilities ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • time of war

Prepositions

Etymology

Old North FrenchOld EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining the noun 'war' (from Old North French 'werre', meaning armed conflict between groups) with the noun 'time' (from Old English 'tīma', meaning a period or duration). The compound 'wartime' has been used since at least the 14th century to distinguish the period of active fighting from peacetime.