ship of war: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low / HistoricalHistorical, Literary, Formal
Quick answer
What does “ship of war” mean?
An armed vessel belonging to an official navy, designed for combat.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An armed vessel belonging to an official navy, designed for combat.
Primarily a historical or literary term for a warship, often evoking the era of sail.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant contemporary difference. The term is equally historical in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes British naval history (e.g., Nelson's navy) in the UK context. In a US context, may reference the early Continental Navy or War of 1812.
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern use outside historical texts, novels, or ceremonial contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “ship of war” in a Sentence
The [NATIONALITY] ship of war [VERB, e.g., engaged, appeared, fired].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ship of war” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A – the term is a noun phrase.
American English
- N/A – the term is a noun phrase.
adverb
British English
- N/A – the term is a noun phrase.
American English
- N/A – the term is a noun phrase.
adjective
British English
- N/A – the term is a noun phrase.
American English
- N/A – the term is a noun phrase.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, military, or literary studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Obsolete in modern naval terminology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ship of war”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ship of war”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ship of war”
- Using it in a modern context (e.g., 'The aircraft carrier is a powerful ship of war' – sounds archaic). Capitalising it unnecessarily.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic term. Modern navies use 'warship' or specific classifications like 'destroyer' or 'aircraft carrier'.
They are largely synonymous historical terms. 'Man-of-war' is perhaps slightly more specific to the era of large, armed sailing warships (16th-19th centuries).
It would sound odd and antiquated. Using 'warship', 'battleship', or the vessel's specific class is the correct modern practice.
Rarely. One might poetically or rhetorically refer to a nation or aggressive policy as a 'ship of war', but this is highly figurative and uncommon.
An armed vessel belonging to an official navy, designed for combat.
Ship of war is usually historical, literary, formal in register.
Ship of war: in British English it is pronounced /ˌʃɪp əv ˈwɔː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌʃɪp əv ˈwɔːr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Ships that pass in the night (idiom; not directly related but shares nautical theme)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SHIP flying a flag OF WAR (like a Jolly Roger, but for a national navy).
Conceptual Metaphor
THE STATE IS A SHIP; a 'ship of war' is the literal embodiment of state military power at sea.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a near-synonym for 'ship of war' in a historical context?