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

The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures but has said women and children make up a majority of those killed. —Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2025

The disinformation battleships of old are still out there, but the rise of AI has opened the competition to a much wider array of combatants. —James P. Rubin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2025

The ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, has reported 280 deaths since the truce began, an average of more than seven per day. —CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025

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

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