Meaning of catalytic war | Babel Free

Definitions

A war initiated by one party and continued by others.

Examples

“By this definition, World War I was a catalytic war, set off by Serbia and Austria, which also had some overtones of "reciprocal fear of surprise attack" and "self-fulfilling prophecy," because the side which mobilized first was likely to win.”

“Indeed a catalytic war seems much more likely to be touched off by a desperate or vengeful power than an ambitious one.”

CEFR level