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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of combat
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
The trial is designed to test whether either of the therapies is effective against this form of Ebola, and whether using the two in combination would be a more effective way to combat the disease.
—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
24 June 2026
ABC News,
26 June 2026
If anything, the dichotomy between the pop star who prances around Versailles in a sheer nightie and the pop star who stomps onstage in knee-high combat boots feels completely authentic and intentional.
—
Chelsey Sanchez,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for combat
Verb
There was some concern about efforts to combat Big Tech’s influence, namely after voters in Monterey Park approved a permanent ban on data centers after residents feared negative environmental effects, increasing utility prices and proximity to homes, according to The Guardian.
—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
The trial is designed to test whether either of the therapies is effective against this form of Ebola, and whether using the two in combination would be a more effective way to combat the disease.
—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
24 June 2026
Noun
The rotations serve as the Army's final validation before units are considered ready for potential combat deployments abroad.
—
ABC News,
26 June 2026
If anything, the dichotomy between the pop star who prances around Versailles in a sheer nightie and the pop star who stomps onstage in knee-high combat boots feels completely authentic and intentional.
—
Chelsey Sanchez,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for combat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combat
Verb
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Starmer has vowed to fight any leadership contest, deepening the sense of crisis within the Labour Party.
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Police said the bail agent and driver fought, and the agent fired one round, with the bullet striking the suspect in the arm.
Verb
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But Newsom disagreed, and the opposing sides of the measure failed to reach a compromise ahead of the Thursday deadline to withdrawal a measure.
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The prospect of the wealthy fleeing the state is among the reasons that prominent Democrats such as Newsom opposed it, given California’s budget being so reliant on the state’s most prosperous residents.
Noun
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That might be a tall order on the field after Lionel Messi’s record-tying hat trick against Algeria led Argentina to victory on Tuesday.
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Pepi, Antonee Robinson and Malik Tillman formed a triangle on one side of the field, with Balogun, Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest aligned on the other side.
Noun
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While the war ended years before, the hostility spread from the stands — with skirmishes among supporters — into the field, when Maradona tricked the referee and the world with the World Cup’s most infamous goal, punching the ball into the net with his fist above England’s goalie Peter Shilton.
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Continue reading … — Two arrested as skirmishes erupt outside courthouse after Karmelo Anthony verdict.
Noun
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Riff argued the issue to halt the payout was not a legal battle but rather a political one.
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While the first half of the match was full of battles and speed runs from one goal to another, the players seem to be taking a more methodical pace after returning from the locker room.
Noun
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The Kerch road and rail crossing, opened by Putin in 2018, has been the target of previous Ukrainian attacks.
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Two other individuals survived that attack, the military said.
Noun
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Enter Maddie’s Secret, Early’s directorial debut, which follows a chef at GourMaybe Test Kitchen whose rising place in the food-influencer world clashes with her lifelong struggle with bulimia.
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Local media reported the clashes erupted because of frustrations over the delays in the migrants' returning home.
Noun
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The story being told has centered around the Aerial Assassin, but could AEW shock everyone by taking the rivalry in a different direction?
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The biggest rivalry in the WNBA delivered.
Cite this Entry
“Combat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combat. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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