combatant

noun

Definition of combatantnext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of combatant The total number of deaths, including combatants, is estimated at 300,000. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Aug. 2026 The aircraft carrier was one of more than 30 surface combatants to take part, along with five submarines and nearly 200 aircraft. — Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 By September 1 the total number of combatants numbered between 10,000 and 20,000. — Elijah Tanall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 Meanwhile, more countries are fighting Iran or its proxies, representing further escalation as the conflict draws in more combatants. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for combatant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatant
  1. soldier
  2. fighter
  3. warrior
  4. trooper
Noun
  • The soldiers sent back an empty tank shell and a video thanking him.
    — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • All along the parapets, Ormund’s child soldiers are vomiting and pissing themselves.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of soldier
Noun
  • In one case, a man is accused of intercepting flight communications near an airbase where US fighter jets are based, while in the other, information about military drills between US and South Korean forces was allegedly obtained.
    — Yoonjung Seo, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • There have been very public sightings of our new stealth bomber, and it's believed the F-47, a sixth-generation stealth fighter, has been spotted just once.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of fighter
Noun
  • While Homer followed warriors sailing home from Troy, the playwright Euripides — writing some three centuries later — turned to the city’s ruins and its women, forced into exile and enslavement.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Today, cargo ships are facing down everything from boarders to kamikaze drones, cyber warriors and advanced missiles.
    — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of warrior
Noun
  • Records from that time indicated state troopers found Farinacci sitting on a park bench, out of breath, the affidavit reads.
    — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The passenger, Kimbrew Horton, 29, of Chicago, also got out of the vehicle and tried to run away, but another trooper who arrived at the scene caught him.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of trooper

Browse Nearby Words

combat
combatant
combatants
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Cite this Entry

“Combatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatant. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on combatant

Nglish: Translation of combatant for Spanish Speakers

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