# waged

/ˈweɪdʒd/ (US) · /wˈeɪdʒd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/waged
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

to start and continue a war or a long fight against something. You use this when talking about serious struggles like battles or political campaigns.

For teachers: to carry on or engage in a conflict, such as a war or a campaign. Transitive; requires a direct object, typically 'war', 'campaign', or 'battle'.

## Examples

- The two countries waged war for many years.
- The local community waged a successful campaign to prevent the park from being turned into a parking lot.
- Throughout the nineteenth century, various factions waged a relentless struggle for control over the region's natural resources, leading to a series of protracted and costly skirmishes.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They waged against the law" but "They waged a war against the law" — Waged is transitive and requires a direct object (like 'war' or 'campaign') before the prepositional phrase.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and almost exclusively collocated with 'war', 'campaign', 'struggle', or 'battle'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.