man-of-war

noun

ˌma-nə(v)-ˈwȯr How to pronounce man-of-war (audio)
variants or less commonly man-o'-war
ˌma-nə-ˈwȯr How to pronounce man-of-war (audio)
plural men-of-war ˌme-nə(v)-ˈwȯr How to pronounce man-of-war (audio) also men-o'-war ˌme-nə-ˈwȯr How to pronounce man-of-war (audio)
Synonyms of man-of-warnext
: a combatant warship of a recognized navy

Examples of man-of-war in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nassau had no men-of-war ships, and Trott’s stone fort was still a building site. — Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024 My hundred-and-forty-foot man-of-war sought to make the first mission to the South Pole, a feat that would bring pride to England. — Mike O’Brien, The New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of man-of-war was in the 15th century

Rhymes for man-of-war

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man-of-war
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Cite this Entry

“Man-of-war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/man-of-war. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

man-of-war

noun
ˌman-ə(v)-ˈwȯ(ə)r
plural men-of-war
ˌmen-
: warship
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