as in soldiers
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 combatants
Some of those combatants say they were lured to Mexico under false pretenses and forced to fight.
—
Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Warner Bros’ awards-season combatants Sinners and One Battle After Another and Netflix’s toon phenom KPop Demon Hunters took the top film prizes at 2026 annual ACE Eddie Awards, which were handed out Friday night at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
And China already possesses the world’s-largest fleet of destroyers, frigates and surface combatants.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
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.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Warner Bros’ awards-season combatants Sinners and One Battle After Another and Netflix’s toon phenom KPop Demon Hunters took the top film prizes at 2026 annual ACE Eddie Awards, which were handed out Friday night at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
And China already possesses the world’s-largest fleet of destroyers, frigates and surface combatants.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
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.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatants
Noun
-
On Saturday, the Afghan Defense Ministry claimed that Afghan forces killed 110 Pakistani soldiers during ongoing fighting.—
MUNIR AHMED,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Scores of protesters gathered in Times Square on Saturday afternoon to rally against the strikes, accusing the president of being a rogue actor who has put soldiers’ lives on the line for no reason.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
After identifying him, troopers said Hillside officers contacted Jackson Township police to request a welfare check at the man's home on Dior Drive in Zelienople, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
State troopers responded to a call seeking medical assistance on Burnt Hill Road where 25-year-old Shane Albert was suffering from injuries, according to Connecticut State Police.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Qatari fighters shot down two Iranian bombers.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Listen to me, especially you, and especially CNN, and the secretary of defense, cares deeply about our war fighters and our men and women in uniform.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
God bless you, to our incredible warriors, and God bless the United States of America.—
Jordan Freiman,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The jacket features a funnel neck and dual-zip closure, while the skirt incorporates biodegradable corozo fasteners and paneling inspired by the armor traditions of Indian warriors.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combatants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatants. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
