Definition

1. Noun:
   • A state of prolonged political and military tension between nations, involving threats, propaganda, and other measures short of full-scale open warfare. This is the primary and most common meaning.
   • A state of rivalry and tension between two parties, characterized by a lack of open conflict but persistent hostility and competition. This broader meaning applies the concept to non-international contexts.

Usage

• The term is most frequently used as a proper noun, the Cold War, to refer specifically to the period of geopolitical tension (approximately 1947–1991) between the United States and its allies (the Western Bloc) and the Soviet Union and its allies (the Eastern Bloc).
• It can also be used as a common noun to describe similar situations of hostility without direct armed conflict in other contexts, such as between corporations, departments, or individuals.

Examples

• Proper Noun (Historical Context):
  • The Cold War shaped global politics for much of the second half of the 20th century.
  • The space race was a major arena of competition during the Cold War.
• Common Noun (General Context):
  • A cold war has developed between the two departments over the budget allocation.
  • The two rival tech companies are engaged in a cold war of patents and innovation.

Advanced Usage

• "to wage a cold war": To actively engage in a state of hostile rivalry using non-military means.
  • The two nations continued to wage a cold war through espionage and diplomatic maneuvers.
• "cold war mentality": A mindset characterized by deep suspicion, rivalry, and an expectation of conflict, reminiscent of the historical Cold War.
  • We must move beyond a cold war mentality to address global challenges cooperatively.

Variants and Related Words

• Cold Warrior (noun): A person, especially a diplomat or politician, who actively participated in or advocated for a hardline, confrontational policy during the Cold War.
  • The old Cold Warrior was skeptical of the new disarmament treaty.

Synonyms

• Hostility: Antagonism or opposition.
• Tension: A strained political or social state.
• Rivalry: Competition for the same objective or for superiority.
• Standoff: A deadlock between two equally matched opponents.

Related Phrases

• Iron Curtain: A term popularized during the Cold War referring to the political, military, and ideological barrier isolating Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe.
• Arms race: A competition between nations for superiority in the development and accumulation of weapons, a key feature of the Cold War.
• Détente: A term from the Cold War era meaning the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries.

Idioms

• A new cold war: A contemporary period of intense geopolitical rivalry and tension, often compared to the 20th-century Cold War.
  • Some analysts fear the current tensions could lead to a new cold war.

Noun

1. a state of political hostility that existed from 1945 until 1990 between countries led by the Soviet Union and countries led by the United States
2. a state of political hostility between countries using means short of armed warfare