wartime

American

[wawr-tahym] / ˈwɔrˌtaɪm /

noun

a time times or period of war.

Strict travel regulations apply only in wartime.

adjective

caused by, characteristic of, or occurring during war.

wartime shortages.

wartime British

/ ˈwɔːˌtaɪm /

noun

1. a period or time of war
2. ( as modifier )
  
  wartime conditions

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of wartime

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; war ¹, time

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Oil prices’ recent climb suggests some wartime risks have already been priced in.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ali Shamkhani led Iran’s Defense Council, a body created in August 2025 after the June war to help devise military wartime strategy.

From The Wall Street Journal

All other national agencies also sprang into wartime mode, with the education ministry cancelling all classes and the aviation authority halting all flights in and out of the country.

From Barron's

Events are seen through Jack’s fractured perspective as he experiences flashbacks of his wartime service and memories of his dead wife and daughter.

From The Wall Street Journal

It has remained in its original home at Victory House on Regent Street since it opened, also continuing to serve food through the wartime Blitz.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023