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
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
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
-
Four months ago when the Suns’ season concluded, Ishbia discussed the value of having a gritty, resilient group that fights hard defensively for the entire game, not just in flashes.—
Shane Young,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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Folk performer Barun Sarma fights to revive lost traditions and expose the devastating impact of arsenic contamination from tube wells that are now turning his village into a cancer hotspot.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The deal has divided the EU, pitting member states against the European Parliament, and the center-left — which opposes it — against the center-right.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The Chinese Communist Party opposes Tibetans choosing their own Dalai Lama and considers the matter an affront to the sovereignty of Beijing, which has ruled Tibet since 1950.—
Tenzin Dorjee,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Across the country, immigration enforcement actions have intensified.—
David Rodriguez Muñoz,
Freep.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Before receiving his sentence, Johnson asked the judge to view his actions from the perspective of a father.—
Miguel Torres,
AZCentral.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Desmond Castle stands watch beyond the village park—its stone battlements and arrow slits recalling Norman skirmishes and feudal lords.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Of all the conflicts Trump has involved himself in since returning to the White House, the skirmishes over a colonial-era border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia may be the smallest.—
Matthew Tostevin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
His court battles began in March, when he was detained after a traffic stop near his home in Beltsville, Maryland.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
-
But fan battles about the love triangle at the heart of the plot have only become more intense, insane, and borderline psychotic with each weekly episode release.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The Tri-Lakes have been neglected for decades, Hasdal said, becoming catch points for nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen that run off farm fields and lawns or seep into groundwater.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
The robots could fill labor shortages in fields like elder care and take on physically demanding jobs that harm human health.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Thailand has been in political turmoil since, ever since deadly border clashes with Cambodian forces.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Meanwhile, his mercurial style and public controversies, from social media firestorms to clashes with regulators, have brought volatility to Tesla’s stock and reputation.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Premiering in 2011, the edgy comedy follows Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) as her life unravels while serving as maid of honor for her best friend Lillian Donovan (Maya Rudolph), leading to a string of wedding planning mishaps and bridal party rivalries.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Combats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combats. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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