1A state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare, in particular.
1.1(the Cold War)The state of hostility that existed between the Soviet bloc countries and the Western powers from 1945 to 1990.With the crumbling of the Soviet bloc and the end of the cold war, some proxy wars ended but others began....
The end of the cold war opened up the prospect of ending the neutral status, but public opinion remained attached to it.
Throughout the cold war, relations were cool between the EC and the Soviet Union.