combatant

noun

com·​bat·​ant kəm-ˈba-tᵊnt 

also ˈkäm-bə-tənt

: one that is engaged in or ready to engage in combat

combatant adjective

Examples of combatant in a Sentence

Britain was a main combatant in World War II.

Recent Examples on the Web

In a sense, the happy financial returns provide both combatants with what amounts to Broncos-grade pass protection; while the pressure to get a deal off is steady, all that money can buy the sort of O-line that allows for a more contemplative read of the market. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 14 Nov. 2025

But the trajectory of the Darfur conflict also taught Sudanese combatants that ultimately, even if their atrocities were aired worldwide, they wouldn’t be called to account. —Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2025

The bitter standoff has been the most high-profile of the year, given the scale of the combatants and the timing of it in the middle of football season. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025

But despite the lack of Fall Classic combatants, there were plenty of intriguing elements to the awards, which honored 20 players from the National and American leagues. —Alex Valdes, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for combatant

• noncombatant
• supernatant
• patent

Kids Definition

combatant

noun

com·​bat·​ant kəm-ˈbat-ᵊnt 

also ˈkäm-bət-

: one that is engaged in or ready to engage in combat

combatant adjective