1
as in fights
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
a general eager to combat the enemy on his own ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opposes
to strive to reduce or eliminate
must marshal all of our resources to combat this disease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in actions
active fighting during the course of a war
a soldier who served throughout the war without actually seeing combat
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in skirmishes
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
the two stags entered a furious combat for dominance of the herd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in battles
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the fierce ideological combat between the religionists and the secularists
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combats
Jason Derose, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025
Lately Rigel has seen big sales increases for a few of its drugs, notably Tavelisse, which combats a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its own blood platelets.
—John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Ant International claims the platform combats hallucinations and other data risks by using over 100 recognition models and 600,000 risk lexicons.
—Lionel Lim, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025
Fox combats his symptoms, such as paralysis of his facial muscles, through medication and trains to preserve his ambulatory skills.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
Becca Israel, director of the Nexus Project, a nonprofit that combats antisemitism and promotes democracy, said the administration's actions send conflicting messages.
—Jason Derose, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025
Lately Rigel has seen big sales increases for a few of its drugs, notably Tavelisse, which combats a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its own blood platelets.
—John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Ant International claims the platform combats hallucinations and other data risks by using over 100 recognition models and 600,000 risk lexicons.
—Lionel Lim, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025
Fox combats his symptoms, such as paralysis of his facial muscles, through medication and trains to preserve his ambulatory skills.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
This proactive boundary setting manages stakeholder expectations, combats scope creep and forces ruthless focus on the absolute core, driving true agility over bloat.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combats
Verb
-
From basic enemy encounters and big boss fights to simply navigating its world and figuring out where to go next, it’s almost abrasively dedicated to testing the player’s patience.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The one who fights brain fog and exhaustion all day?—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, strongly opposes the idea of a two-state solution.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
-
At the same time, the Justice Department is devising its own means to target anyone who opposes the President’s immigration policies.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Anything can impact a president's rating, such as legislation passed, actions and elections.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
27 Sep. 2025
-
The new report called for Bickle to apologize for his actions.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
All these years later, Corigliano’s symphony has outlasted those skirmishes and emerged sounding fresh and exciting and powerful.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Although the Hatfield-McCoy relationship has been fraught since the birth of the medium, streaming and cord-cutting has turned financial skirmishes into an existential contest.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Hinako battles not just against her own mind, but with the rigid patriarchal norms and pressures of the era.—
Vincent Acovino,
NPR,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The host also noted his own battles with the FCC during the early Nineties.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
According to estimates in the report, 16 million pounds of excess fertilizer were applied to farm fields statewide in 2022 alone.—
Laura Schulte,
jsonline.com,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The Rac complex issued a statement on Facebook on Sunday night, saying all activities on the fields were suspended until further notice.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The latest battle occurs towards the end of Cena's career, following previous clashes where Lesnar dominated him in the ring.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The Kimmel situation differs from previous clashes, among them the cancellation of Politically Incorrect after controversial on-air remarks by its host, Bill Maher, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
South African suburban satire/crime drama Koek [Cake]; and British series Rivals, an adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s novel of 1980s media and political rivalries.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The aftermath of that bout has created a host of new questions and rivalries.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Combats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combats. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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