as in soldier
a person, group, or country that fights in a war or battle
Britain was a major combatant in World War II.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combatant
There was a tumultuous battle between the combatants but alas, the giant scorpion fatally bit Artemis’ boyfriend.
—
Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Of course, military operations often have to be kept under wraps to protect combatants and keep enemies off the scent.
—Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
As the name suggests, attack subs are designed to hunt and destroy other submarines, surface combatants (warships) and, if necessary, commercial vessels.
—James Dwyer, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, warned that Iran would avenge the loss of its prized naval combatant, and hinted that the geographic scope of the conflict may spread even farther.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combatant
Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Of course, military operations often have to be kept under wraps to protect combatants and keep enemies off the scent.
—Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
As the name suggests, attack subs are designed to hunt and destroy other submarines, surface combatants (warships) and, if necessary, commercial vessels.
—James Dwyer, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, warned that Iran would avenge the loss of its prized naval combatant, and hinted that the geographic scope of the conflict may spread even farther.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combatant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatant
Noun
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The army spokesperson said four wounded soldiers were evacuated for treatment.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
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Crews uncovered the marble slab while excavating the site of the Mentor, a brig owned by Thomas Bruce, the British soldier and diplomat known as Lord Elgin, according to Greece's Ministry of Culture and BBC News, a CBS News partner.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Boko Haram has since become stronger, with thousands of fighters and different factions, including the Islamic State West Africa Province, which is backed by the Islamic State group.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
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Jamie Foxx leads the film, based on the true story of the devastating 1980 plane crash which claimed the lives of America’s Olympic boxing team, leading a determined coach to take on the monumental task of assembling and training new fighters for glory at the 1984 games.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For the sickle cell warriors in these communities — many of whom currently travel an hour or more to reach the nearest comprehensive care center — this would be a lifeline.—
Teanika D. Hoffman,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Mar. 2026
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The jury on Friday also awarded a special mention to Nolwenn Hervé’s The Cord, the portrait of a maternity warrior in Venezuela.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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According to troopers, John Carter Martin stopped his maroon Ford F150 to help with the disabled Toyota Camry, which was stuck on the westbound travel lane of the highway.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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An ex-state trooper in New York was found guilty of manslaughter in the 2020 death of 11-year-old Monica Goods during a chase.—
Mike Randall,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatant. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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