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
Ownership of the Kennedy story is a war with many combatants.
—
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Friday night’s combatants had spent the last two hours no more than yards apart.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 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.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
The ministry doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
When this month the remains of the 32 Cuban combatants killed in Venezuela were brought back to the island, the government pulled out all the stops to give them a hero’s welcome.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 29 Jan. 2026
But the country’s telecommunications infrastructure has eroded since the civil war started in April 2023, as combatants have continued to target this infrastructure.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Friday night’s combatants had spent the last two hours no more than yards apart.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 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.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
The ministry doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
When this month the remains of the 32 Cuban combatants killed in Venezuela were brought back to the island, the government pulled out all the stops to give them a hero’s welcome.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 29 Jan. 2026
But the country’s telecommunications infrastructure has eroded since the civil war started in April 2023, as combatants have continued to target this infrastructure.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatants
Noun
-
Four Israeli soldiers have been killed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 590 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops in the territory since the ceasefire began, while Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli soldiers in the same period.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Michigan State Police troopers from Metro South located the vehicle near Dix and Riverbank and used a precision immobilization technique to end the pursuit.—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The church was reportedly heated with propane cylinders, but the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation, state troopers said.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His vision was rooted in hope, healing and the belief that young adult cancer fighters deserve moments of freedom, strength and joy, said Kelly Schwartz, the center’s operations manager.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Next steps in a tough fight Somali authorities say thousands of Shabab fighters have been killed since the campaign intensified, including dozens in recent operations in the coastal town of Kudhaa and elsewhere.—
Omar Faruk,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a fair share of dancefloor warriors—techno devotees, avante-garde fashionistas, curious international travelers, and the enigmatic regulars.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
More disturbingly, some MAGA cultural warriors claimed to be disgusted by Bad Bunny’s suggestive dancing and called for his censorship, harking back to the 1950s, when emerging superstar Elvis Presley was shot by TV cameras from the waist up during his appearance at the Ed Sullivan show.—
Ediberto Roman,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combatants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatants. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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