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 By the time the police arrived, the combatants had fled and melted into a thick crowd of other young people in the darkness outside. — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026 Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified by TIME. — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 7 July 2026 They were controlled by two sets of levers, with plastic buttons that made the combatants throw left jabs and right uppercuts. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026 But combatants in the subcontinent were unaware of the initial truce that had been made in the West, and dozens more battles took place around the world. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for combatant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatant
  1. soldier
  2. fighter
  3. warrior
  4. trooper
Noun
  • Kelli stays strong as Shamea’s last standing soldier, accusing the other women of trusting a known liar.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • In his mind, the only honest version of himself is the soldier.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 20 July 2026
Definition of soldier
Noun
  • Both fighters are here because someone else already beat them or drew with them, and both need this one to change that.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • China has developed close relations with Pakistan, particularly in the defense sector, and is Pakistan’s largest supplier of military equipment, including fighter jets, missile technology, and naval vessels.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026
Definition of fighter
Noun
  • Sinon also told Odysseus the fallen Ithacan soldiers were unable to rest because they weren’t honored with proper Greek warrior funeral rites.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
  • For years, they have been stuck at sea with their leader, the great warrior king Odysseus (Matt Damon), trying to find a route home to Ithaca; hunger and desperation have spurred his fiery second-in-command, Eurylochus (Himesh Patel), toward mutiny.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of warrior
Noun
  • The Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office identified the remains as belonging to Patrick Orville Dearth, who was reported missing to the Fairbanks Police Department in November 1993, state troopers said.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026
  • After the July 4 arrest, Cook County Judge Shauna Boliker ordered Milton not to go near the property or have any contact with the state trooper who reported him to authorities.
    — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
Definition of trooper

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Cite this Entry

“Combatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatant. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on combatant

Nglish: Translation of combatant for Spanish Speakers

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