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
Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2026
The country’s vast poppy fields have been the source of much of the world’s heroin, which in combination with decades of conflict and widespread poverty has fueled drug addiction that authorities have vowed to combat.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
The injury was not combat-related, the military specified.
—Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combat
Verb
To combat this, check for flimsy frames, loose hinges, or weak nose pads.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2026
The country’s vast poppy fields have been the source of much of the world’s heroin, which in combination with decades of conflict and widespread poverty has fueled drug addiction that authorities have vowed to combat.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of more than 900 African-American military pilots and airmen who flew combat aircraft in World War II.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
The injury was not combat-related, the military specified.
—Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combat
Verb
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The underlying facts of the case are still to be ruled on, but the partial ruling on Friday was a big win for immigration advocates who had been fighting to shut down the controversial site.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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There have been dueling proposals ever since, with some fighting to keep the Bears in Chicago proper, others fighting to help the stadium get built in Arlington Heights, and recently Northwest Indiana jumping into the fray, proposing sites for a new Bears stadium in Gary and Hammond.—
Marissa Perlman,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Among those opposing his release was Janet Kovacich’s brother, Gary Gregoire, Tellman said.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The decision by Republicans to isolate the language on voter ID, part of days of rolling debate on the SAVE America Act, was spurred by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) insisting that Democrats do not oppose that specific requirement and have backed it in the past.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ridden Saturday for the first time by jockey Flavien Prat, Commandment dropped back to last in the field of six midway through the 1 1/8-mile stakes, content to allow the others to contest the pace.—
Clark Spencer,
Miami Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
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Through adoptions, education, outreach, and field services, the shelter provides critical support to promote responsible pet care in the community.—
Janay Reece,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And the Pakistani military has been engaged in cross-border skirmishes with the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan for months.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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With billions of dollars at stake, the conflicts manifest in sharp skirmishes in the Legislature, in courts and in the ballot measure arena.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At the time of the initial gun battle, the MacEgans were on an afternoon walk through a nearby field.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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So California may be readying to wage a two-front battle — the familiar one against smog, but a second, altogether new one, against an administration determined to let California get smoggy again.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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On September 30th, a few days after the attack, Loomer called out Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai, the heads of Apple and Google, for making such programs available.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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Israel strikes Iranian nuclear facilities Bahreini’s announcement came just hours after Iranian state media said two nuclear facilities had come under attack.—
Farnoush Amiri,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In Dallas, at least one person was detained after a clash with counter-protesters.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
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The massive expansion of enforcement operations drew local resistance from activists, leading to clashes with federal agents and the deaths of residents Good and Pretti during confrontations with ICE and Border Patrol.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Their rivalry reached its peak in 2018, when the two engaged in an on-court brawl during a matchup between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
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Their relationship starts as pure rivalry, shifts into a friends-with-benefits arrangement and eventually evolves into a full romantic relationship across the six-episode first season.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combat. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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