war to end all wars

English

Alternative forms

• war to end all war

Proper noun

the war to end all wars

1. (dated) Epithet for World War I.

   Synonyms: 14-18, (Canada, US, obsolete, 1910s) European War, First World War, Great War, (Canada, US, obsolete, 1910s) (The) War in Europe, (dated) World War

   • 1920 February 9, “World Leadership Lost, says Baker”, in New York Times, page 3:

     The fact is there are still a lot of wars going on in the world, and there is no general acceptance as yet that the ‘war to end all wars’ is really over.

See also

• World War II
• end of history