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
Ownership of the Kennedy story is a war with many combatants.
—
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
The other flavor is the solo villain, a species of independent combatants who've generally developed some kind of beef with Starfleet, and will stop at nothing to ensure their destructive schemes — which may or may not have galactic significance — come to fruition.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
The war in Ukraine will enter its fifth year later this month, a consequence of stiff Ukrainian military resistance, poor Russian decision-making, the emergence of drone warfare and the combatants’ inability to agree on how to settle it.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The ministry doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combatant
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
The other flavor is the solo villain, a species of independent combatants who've generally developed some kind of beef with Starfleet, and will stop at nothing to ensure their destructive schemes — which may or may not have galactic significance — come to fruition.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
The war in Ukraine will enter its fifth year later this month, a consequence of stiff Ukrainian military resistance, poor Russian decision-making, the emergence of drone warfare and the combatants’ inability to agree on how to settle it.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The ministry doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combatant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatant
Noun
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Afghanistan said eight of its soldiers had been killed in Friday’s attack.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
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That move came hours before Cuba's government announced that its soldiers killed four people aboard a speedboat registered in Florida that had opened fire on officers in Cuban waters.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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France meanwhile has deployed Rafale fighter jets over the skies of the United Arab Emirates to protect its military bases there.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
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Tehran residents also saw fighter jets flying very low over the city.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Marines, the only service with a command structure for its wounded warrior program, has two battalions, one at Camp Pendleton and the other at Camp Lejeune.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
28 Feb. 2026
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Kratos began as a Spartan warrior and a servant of Ares, the Greek god of war.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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According to the Broward Sheriff's Office, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper attempted to stop the fleeing driver by using a precision immobilization technique, or PIT maneuver.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
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The trooper who opened fire was not injured and was placed on administrative leave until an internal probe of the shooting is done.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatant. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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