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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 This is far larger than any other class of surface combatant in China’s navy, as per the report. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026 The military campaign that ensued has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026 Former combatants seek to return to civilian life At Mekelle’s Tigray Martyrs’ Memorial Monument, former fighters lined up to register with the authorities, some carrying papers or sheltering under umbrellas. — Khaled Kazziha, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 No other branch’s members prioritize their role as combatants in an ideological battle — in this case, over what a documentary should be. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for combatant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatant
  1. soldier
  2. fighter
  3. warrior
  4. trooper
Noun
  • This allows soldiers to retain the option of using an unexpended round as conventional mortar ammunition if it is not dropped or mission requirements change.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
  • MacPherson will play Dugan, a Special Forces soldier toughened by years of combat, joining the film’s two leads.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of soldier
Noun
  • Stacy Keach, the legendary actor whose unmistakable voice and powerful performances captivated generations of Americans, is being remembered by his beloved wife as a devoted husband, loving father and courageous fighter after his death at 85.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026
  • At least 18 flights from cities including Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan and Warsaw were impacted, with some being diverted to military bases or given escorts by fighter jets.
    — Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of fighter
Noun
  • After a bloody skirmish with the orcs and wild men, an imposing figure arrives on horseback, grabbing one of the warriors and hurling him at Galadriel’s approaching horse.
    — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Created by Akira Toriyama and produced by Toei Animation, Dragon Ball Z is a sci-fi fantasy that follows the adventures of Goku, an alien warrior.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of warrior
Noun
  • Morley was found after troopers used roadside cameras and a helicopter to track him down and his truck got stuck in the mud.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Missouri state troopers have captured an escaped convict who broke free from a Tennessee prison last week, a highway patrol spokesperson told Fox News Digital Tuesday.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of trooper

Browse Nearby Words

combat
combatant
combatants
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All