1
as in to fight
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
a general eager to combat the enemy on his own ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate
must marshal all of our resources to combat this disease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in field
active fighting during the course of a war
a soldier who served throughout the war without actually seeing combat
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
the two stags entered a furious combat for dominance of the herd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in battle
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the fierce ideological combat between the religionists and the secularists
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combat
Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2025
For the time being, there's a fairly straightforward way to combat this outcome.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Simon Shuster, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
The challenges were often physical — a high point was watching brothers Aras Baskauskas and Vytas Baskauskas square off in hand-to-hand combat.
—Steve Helling, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for combat
Verb
City leaders are discussing it proactively and working to combat it.
—Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2025
For the time being, there's a fairly straightforward way to combat this outcome.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
But turning lethal combat into a competition creates moral challenges on an entirely new scale, and solving them does not seem high on Ukraine’s present list of priorities.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
The challenges were often physical — a high point was watching brothers Aras Baskauskas and Vytas Baskauskas square off in hand-to-hand combat.
—Steve Helling, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for combat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combat
Verb
-
Two consecutive completions to rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden, who fought through contests and contact on both catches.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The poll found opinions on the administration's expansion of its deployment of military forces to fight crime more divided, with 42% supporting the idea and 46% opposing it.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Republicans, who say school security and improving mental health services are the best way to avoid future tragedies, have firmly opposed any new gun control measures.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Some residents criticized Touchstone, Vice Mayor Joy Smith and Eveillard, who formed a three-person majority on the five-seat board, for supporting a $30,000 raise for themselves while opposing an up-to 5% raise for city staff based on cost of living and merit.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Matthews immediately went down and stayed on the field as medical staff rushed to the field.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
-
The Commanders are hoping to get back on the field soon, but changes are needed.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Regions of Africa and Southern Asia are embroiled in deadly and underreported skirmishes, and areas of Mexico and Haiti are torn by gang violence akin to civil war.—
Daniella Walsh,
Oc Register,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Delhi sees Beijing as its biggest threat, particularly since some border skirmishes that began in 2020.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin return at power forward, while Aaron Nesmith is set to start on the wing, and Jay Huff and Isaiah Jackson battle for the center spot.—
Grant Afseth,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Democratic attorneys general are no strangers to using their offices to fight political battles.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The attack came two weeks after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a university in Utah.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Poor weather and battlefield obscurants continue to endanger warfighters as adversaries rely on these conditions to escape attacks.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Following a 12-game non-conference slate, highlighted by home bouts with Utah State and Davidson, as well as road clashes with Virginia Tech and Appalachian State, the 49ers tip off what hopes to be a bounce-back year in conference play — starting on New Year’s Eve.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
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In the build-up to this scene, Jordan has a clash with the head of student life about their gender identity, and the school’s intentional disregard of their experience and language around it.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Aztecs are 14-0 in the history of the rivalry.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Sep. 2025
-
But for two California Democrats, who may both have their eye on the same political prize when the Democratic primaries for president roll around in 2028, could this be a slight indication of a burgeoning political and personal rivalry?—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Combat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combat. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.
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