combatant

noun

com·​bat·​ant kəm-ˈba-tᵊnt How to pronounce combatant (audio)
 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
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.
Under the law, unarmed combatants held in military custody are allowed to protest their detention in court. Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2025 Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified by TIME. Callum Sutherland, Time, 16 Oct. 2025 This figure does not distinguish between combatants and civilians and is disputed by Israeli officials, but is widely cited by Western sources. Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 The combatants supposedly have a $2 million side bet. Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for combatant

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of combatant was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Combatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combatant. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

combatant

noun
com·​bat·​ant kəm-ˈbat-ᵊnt How to pronounce combatant (audio)
 also  ˈkäm-bət-
: one that is engaged in or ready to engage in combat
combatant adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on combatant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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