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
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 9 Apr. 2026
The antagonists join forces in the sequel to combat the technological alien threat known as Brainiac (new cast member Lars Eidinger).
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
Melina Khan, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
But Democrats have been largely silent on whether Walz could have done more to combat fraud.
—Matthew Stolle, Twin Cities, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combat
Verb
Back proposed using this to combat email spam, a niche use case that Nakamoto also advocated for.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 9 Apr. 2026
The antagonists join forces in the sequel to combat the technological alien threat known as Brainiac (new cast member Lars Eidinger).
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
Women can enlist in active duty combat in order to serve.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
But Democrats have been largely silent on whether Walz could have done more to combat fraud.
—Matthew Stolle, Twin Cities, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combat
Verb
-
Like there was a demon in his lungs, fighting the last bit of banishment.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
-
She was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa — an eye disease that causes vision loss — and lupus, a disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy tissues and organs instead of fighting germs, according to court records.—
Chase Jordan
April 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jalen Brunson knows any variation of offensive plays featuring both him and All-Star teammate Karl-Anthony Towns can be difficult, nearly impossible for opposing defenses to guard.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Despite the changes, several groups continue to oppose the bill, including Mental Health America of California.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are a number of other guys that are leaders on the field that could have equally served in that opportunity.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
-
That’s because, self-admittedly after the game, Inter Miami’s team itself did not match the intensity of its new home on the field enough during a disappointing 2-2 draw against Austin.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These rules had been tightened since 2020, when relations soured following a deadly border skirmish in the Galwan Valley, where several Indian and Chinese soldiers died.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The skirmishes are a preview for more campaigns later this year, when at least a half-dozen states will hold elections for utility regulators.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Battle of Kings Mountain, where the Patriots won a 1780 battle just west of Charlotte, and a recreation of British loyalist leader Maj.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In a battle for first place in the Pacific Coast League, Patel drove in five runs and scored a run to lead Irvine to an 8-2 victory over Portola.—
Martin Henderson,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
What investigators uncovered was a complex attack involving blockchain infrastructure, malware that functions across various platforms, and thousands of software developers and the companies that hire them.—
Jessica Klein,
PC Magazine,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard denied launching attacks on Persian Gulf states after Kuwait's announcement.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The deepening crisis has also sparked protests and clashes across the island.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
From there, the play builds into a seismic clash between the two, each arguing for their place, with Curator caught in the middle.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma’s coaching rivalry has had something for everyone on and off the court.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But there were also rivalries — and who got to control a bigger share of the work was hotly contested.—
Fatma Tanis,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combat. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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