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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combat
Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
As a 19-year-old from the inner city of Kansas City, Darrion Nimrod created The Outsiders Social Club as a safe space for young adults who were combating their mental health.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2026
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026
Hugh drives most of the combat, with a variety of guns and a jetpack, while Diana makes life easier for him by hacking into enemy systems and robots.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combat
Verb
In an effort to combat this, many folks turn to humidifiers.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
As a 19-year-old from the inner city of Kansas City, Darrion Nimrod created The Outsiders Social Club as a safe space for young adults who were combating their mental health.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
The report noted that the Navy called what the former combat pilot and astronaut did an act of sedition.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026
Hugh drives most of the combat, with a variety of guns and a jetpack, while Diana makes life easier for him by hacking into enemy systems and robots.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combat
Verb
-
Barton gave the jury the impression of a man prepared to go into daily combat on numerous fronts, constantly fighting one battle after another, in service of his principles.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Players fought, fought, fought, gave us every chance in the world.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
How many voters supported, opposed Measure G In Nevada County, the largest portion of the library district, voters supported Measure G with by a 7-to-3 margin.—
Daniel Hunt,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Her sentiments seemed to oppose the ongoing family drama amid reports of tension within her extended family, including her son Brooklyn and his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Fears shot 0 of 7 from the field, scoring four points on six free-throw attempts, but tallied nine assists.—
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Nebraska tied the game with an extra point after Missouri students rushed the field, celebrating an apparent victory.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Things then turned violent when someone tried to lunge at Black as marshals walked him out of the courtroom, leading to a skirmish appearing to involve about a dozen people.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
2 Jan. 2026
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Other conflict hotspots include India/Pakistan following a deadly skirmish in 2025, Congo/Rwanda, and the ongoing civil war in Sudan.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
With a high-stakes battle for the 2026 midterms looming, the Evergreen State appears poised to join the trend of states using congressional redistricting for partisan advantage.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Rattler won the quarterback battle in training camp over Shough, but after going 1-7, Moore made the switch to his rookie.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Good's defenders – including city and state leaders – are calling what happened an unjustified attack; federal authorities say the agent was acting in self-defense.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
9 Jan. 2026
-
In Kyiv, a CNN reporter said that the attack began around midnight, starting with multiple drone strikes on residential buildings.—
Kosta Gak,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The clashes have since descended into an all-out civil war, characterized by ethnic violence, attacks on civilians and atrocities committed by all sides, according to humanitarian groups and foreign governments.—
ByGuy Davies,
ABC News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Iranian state television aired images of clashes and fires, while the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several police officers were killed overnight, underscoring the increasingly violent nature of the confrontations.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Small and middle powers, particularly those from the Global South, are stepping into this breach and providing an essential public good that great powers, bound by their own rivalries, increasingly cannot.—
Galip Dalay,
Time,
6 Jan. 2026
-
And there is a friendly rivalry there.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combat. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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