A war involving the major nations of the world.

Before the most recent or significant war in a culture's history. / Before the outbreak of World War I in 1914. / Before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

After the most recent or significant war in a culture's history. / After the end of World War II in 1945.

(historical) The period of hostility short of open war between the Soviet Bloc and the Western powers, especially the United States, between 1945 and 1991.

Alternative spelling of interwar

(Greek mythology) A mythological decade-long war and siege, ending in the destruction of Troy, which, as described in Homer's Iliad, was waged by a coalition of Achaeans (Greeks) led by King Agamemnon against the Trojans to avenge the abduction of Helen, wife of the Spartan King Menelaus, by Paris, son of the Trojan King Priam.

A period of hostile relations between rivals where direct open warfare between them is largely undesired and avoided.

opposed to war, or to a specific war

(Internet) A dispute on a wiki or in a git repository where two users repeatedly revert one another's changes to an article.

(Internet) An argument consisting entirely or largely of flames by various parties that serve only to escalate the dispute.