war chest

noun

: a fund accumulated to finance a war
broadly : a fund earmarked for a specific purpose, action, or campaign

Examples of war chest in a Sentence

The candidate held fund-raising dinners to build up his war chest.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Youngkin in 2021 raised $2.2 million in contributions, but the millionaire investor bolstered his war chest with $5.5million of his own money, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025 But how his war chest stacks up to that of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, his chief rival for the Democratic nomination, won’t be clear for a few more months. Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2025 One of the would-be contenders for the seat, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), raised $3 million in the first quarter, padding what is now a $19 million war chest. David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 15 Apr. 2025 The November election might follow suit, given Dickens' public support and $1.4 million war chest. Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for war chest

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of war chest was in 1871

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“War chest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/war%20chest. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!