Meanings
plural wars of nerves
- idiomaticWarfare characterized by psychological manipulation, involving tactics intended to demoralize, frighten, and unnerve opponents in order to prompt surrender.
In the future, war will not merely be one of men and machines, it will be a war of wills and a war of nerves.
1939, Sir John Anderson quoted in "Women's Service if War Comes," Glasgow Herald, 11 May (retrieved 24 Aug. 2010)1 more example
Our brave Ottoman soldiers are not easily frightened by noise, owing to their splendid nerves—and this is a war of nerves, a war in which strong nerves mean victory.
1915, Liman von Sanders Pasha, Field Marshal of Turkish forces at Gallipoli, quoted in "Says Turks Will Soon Expel British," New York Times, 9 Aug., p. 2 (retrieved 24 Aug. 2010)Synonyms: psychological warfare
- broadlyidiomaticA situation in which opposed parties refrain from direct conflict but maintain a tense, contentious relationship in which each uses annoyances or intimidating psychological tactics to attempt to dishearten and unnerve the other.
"We assume that a dangerous brinkmanship, a war of nerves, is under way, but it will not grow into a hot war," the official told Tass.
2009 May 27, Oleg Shchedrov, “Russia fears Korea conflict could go nuclear”, in Reuters India, retrieved 24 Aug 20102 more examples
A united steel industry appeared to have emerged the victor today in a war of nerves to raise prices on some of its products in the face of White House pressure to hold the price line.
1966 August 5, “Steel Industry Appears To Be Victor in Battle of Prices”, in The Free Lance-Star, USA, retrieved 24 Aug 2010, page 114 of America's best chess players are wielding kings, queens and their chessboard servants in a silent but brutal war. . . . "It's a mental war, it's a war of nerves, of logic, or reasoning, of being a good fighter," said Walter Browne.
1983 July 18, “Small Town Host Big Time Chess Tourney”, in Daytona Beach Morning Journal, retrieved 24 Aug 2010, page 8ASynonyms: psyops, psychological warfare
Synonyms & antonyms
nounWarfare characterized by psychological manipulation, involving tactics intended to demoralize, frighten, and unnerve opponents in order to prompt surrender.
nounA situation in which opposed parties refrain from direct conflict but maintain a tense, contentious relationship in which each uses annoyances or intimidating psychological tactics to attempt to dishearten and unnerve the other.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe use of psychological tactics to destroy the opponents' morale
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Catalan guerra de nervis, guerra de nervis
- guerra de nervisconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- guerra de nervissituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Chinese Mandarin 神經戰 /神经战, 心理戰 /心理战
- 神經戰 /神经战 (shénjīngzhàn)conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- 心理戰 /心理战 (xīnlǐzhàn)situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Dutch zenuwoorlog, zenuwenoorlog
- zenuwoorlogconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- zenuwenoorlogconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- zenuwoorlogsituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Finnish hermosota, psykologinen sodankäynti
- hermosotaconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- psykologinen sodankäynticonflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- hermosotasituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
French guerre psychologique, guerre des nerfs
- guerre psychologiqueconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- guerre des nerfsconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- guerre des nerfssituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
German Nervenkrieg, Nervenkrieg
- Nervenkriegconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- Nervenkriegsituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Italian guerra dei nervi, guerra dei nervi
- guerra dei nerviconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- guerra dei nervisituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Polish wojna nerwów, wojna nerwów
- wojna nerwówconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- wojna nerwówsituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Portuguese guerra de nervos, guerra de nervos
- guerra de nervosconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- guerra de nervossituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Romanian război psihologic, război al nervilor
- război psihologicconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- război al nervilorconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- război al nervilorsituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Spanish guerra psicológica, guerra de nervos
- guerra psicológicaconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- guerra de nervosconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- guerra psicológicasituation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Swedish nervkrig
- nervkrigconflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
Thai สงครามประสาท, สงครามประสาท
- สงครามประสาท (sǒng-kraam-bprà-sàat)conflict in which demoralizing and frightening tactics are used
- สงครามประสาท (sǒng-kraam-bprà-sàat)situation in which opposed parties maintain a tense, contentious relationship
Cite this entry
war of nerves. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/war%20of%20nerves
“war of nerves.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/war%20of%20nerves. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “war of nerves,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/war%20of%20nerves.
Source: war of nerves on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.