as in soldiers
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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Recent Examples of combatants
Gaza’s Health Ministry does not say how many were civilians or combatants.
—
Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Protests demanding an end to the war have occurred across Europe, as Gaza's Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll since the war began — including both combatants and civilians — has topped 67,000.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified by TIME.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
In the nearly two years since, the Israeli military has killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
—Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 30 Sep. 2025
This figure does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, and is frequently criticized by Israeli officials but widely cited by Western sources.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Encounters require both navigating the space with the trainer to avoid getting knocked out and issuing commands to your own combatants to win the fight.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
What went into choreographing a fight between two superhuman combatants?
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 23 Sep. 2025
Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 Palestinian people, according to the territory’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
—Paula Newton, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2025
Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Protests demanding an end to the war have occurred across Europe, as Gaza's Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll since the war began — including both combatants and civilians — has topped 67,000.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified by TIME.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
In the nearly two years since, the Israeli military has killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
—Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 30 Sep. 2025
This figure does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, and is frequently criticized by Israeli officials but widely cited by Western sources.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Encounters require both navigating the space with the trainer to avoid getting knocked out and issuing commands to your own combatants to win the fight.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
What went into choreographing a fight between two superhuman combatants?
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 23 Sep. 2025
Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 Palestinian people, according to the territory’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
—Paula Newton, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatants
Noun
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The Tambov, Krasnodar, Kurgan and Altai regions, and the republic of Tatarstan, also announced significant increases in the payments, which come on top of the monthly salary for contract soldiers fighting in Ukraine.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
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On his journey, Geralt slices up several soldiers, a giant, ogre-like creature and a ghostly wraith.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But then, the state police were called in because the mall didn’t have enough security—that’s my understanding—so state troopers came in and shut it down.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
2 Oct. 2025
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The cult hit comedy franchise Super Troopers revolves around the shenanigans of a group of Vermont state troopers who are slacker pranksters first and foremost.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Almost 80 years ago, two warriors left Los Alamitos to fight in World War II.—
Jeff Gritchen,
Oc Register,
29 Sep. 2025
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Legal experts and other observers of the office said state attorneys general traditionally didn’t act primarily as partisan warriors.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Thrilla in Manila between the two fighters stands as a testament to each of their enduring legacies of perseverance.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
1 Oct. 2025
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Whether Hamas chooses this route will likely depend on whether its political leaders, mostly in Turkey and Qatar, hold sway over its fighters on the ground.—
Hussein Ibish,
The Atlantic,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Combatants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatants. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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