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-ˌbat 

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 of combat

Noun

• field
• attack
• battle
• fire
• action
• hostilities

Verb

• fight
• battle

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

According to the ministry’s breakdown, the largest losses were reported in the area of Russia’s Battlegroup Center, where more than 450 Ukrainian soldiers were said to have been killed or wounded, alongside a tank and seven armored combat vehicles. —Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025

Lai on Wednesday vowed to build up Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities in the face of growing threats from Beijing, aiming to achieve a high level of combat readiness by 2027. —Anniek Bao, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2025

Verb

At least one of the dead is a firefighter who was combating the blaze. —NPR, 26 Nov. 2025

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visits the Dominican Republic on Wednesday for talks on combating drug trafficking, as tensions between Washington and Caracas continue to escalate. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025

Adjective

The continuing non-combat losses and training flight failures point to persistent operational and maintenance challenges within Russia’s air fleet as the war grinds on. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025

The move would close loopholes that allowed military aircraft to turn off their ADS-B equipment, even when flying on non-combat missions. —Zach Wichter, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025

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

1548, 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