combat

1 of 3

noun

com·​bat ˈkäm-ˌbat 

1

: a fight or contest between individuals or groups

2

: conflict, controversy

3

: active fighting in a war : action

casualties suffered in combat

combat

2 of 3

verb

com·​bat kəm-ˈbat 

ˈkäm-ˌba-

combated or combatted; combating or combatting

intransitive verb

: to engage in combat : fight

transitive verb

1

: to fight with : battle

2

: to struggle against

especially : to strive to reduce or eliminate

combat pollution

combat

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adjective

com·​bat ˈkäm-ˌbat 

1

: relating to combat

combat missions

2

: designed or destined for combat

combat boots

combat troops

Synonyms

Noun

• action
• battle
• field

Verb

• battle
• clash (with)
• fight
• scrimmage (with)
• skirmish (with)
• war (against)

Choose the Right Synonym for combat

oppose, combat, resist, withstand mean to set oneself against someone or something.

oppose can apply to any conflict, from mere objection to bitter hostility or warfare.

opposed the plan

combat stresses the forceful or urgent countering of something.

combat disease

resist implies an overt recognition of a hostile or threatening force and a positive effort to counteract or repel it.

resisting temptation

withstand suggests a more passive resistance.

trying to withstand peer pressure

Examples of combat in a Sentence

Noun

Some of these soldiers have never seen combat.

He was killed in combat.

Verb

The drug helps combat infection.

She dedicated her life to combating poverty.

Exercise can help combat the effects of stress.

The mayor pledged to combat crime.

They have been combating the rebels for months.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

All three Marines were combat engineers with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, officials said. —Caleb Lunetta, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025

Other military veterans who saw combat, including most of the seven post-Civil War presidents, as well as Harry Truman (World War I), and John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, and George H. W. Bush (World War II), proudly served and felt a strong bond with their former comrades in arms. —Barbara A. Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025

Verb

Miami needed Herro in the fight to combat Cleveland’s shooting, but he was not even involved in most of the action in the fourth quarter. —Jared Weiss, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025

Since Trump was elected back into office, Hobbs promised to work with his administration on issues such as combating fentanyl trafficking, but has acknowledged the worries some families feel about the immigration crackdown. —Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2025

Adjective

Military personnel with foreign citizenships – in combat and non-combat roles – need to have their faces obscured and cannot disclose their full names in interviews. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2025

Many of Ukraine’s older brigades have been in combat non-stop since the Russians invaded in February 2022. —David Axe, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French, from combatre to attack, fight, from Vulgar Latin *combattere, from Latin com- + battuere to beat

First Known Use

Noun

1546, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1564, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Adjective

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing combat

• combat fatigue
• hors de combat
• mortal combat
• single combat

Kids Definition

combat

1 of 2 noun

com·​bat ˈkäm-ˌbat 

1

: a fight or contest between individuals or groups

2

: conflict entry 1 sense 2

3

: active fighting in a war : action

soldiers experienced in combat

combat

2 of 2 verb

com·​bat kəm-ˈbat 

ˈkäm-ˌbat

combated or combatted; combating or combatting

1

: to fight with : battle

2

: to struggle against

especially : to strive to reduce or eliminate

combat disease