casus belli
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.
In his speech announcing the war, Mr. Trump explained the extensive casus belli to the American people.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026
The comments prompted alarm among U.S. officials who feared he was once again formulating a casus belli ahead of possible new military action against Ukraine.
From Washington Post • Feb. 3, 2022
One of the few voices that challenged Polk’s casus belli was Abraham Lincoln, then serving in Congress.
From The New Yorker • May 13, 2019
Muslim sources later described her as innocence incarnate, while Christian scribes depicted her as a loose woman — respectively maximizing and minimizing Julian’s casus belli.
From New York Times • Jan. 3, 2012
He used the emotional force of the occasion, channeled through his rhetoric, to quietly shift the political ground and redefine the casus belli in a way that suited him.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
