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
Solcyré Burga, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
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
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Joint Terrorism Task Force is a federal law enforcement organization that combats both domestic and international terrorism.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
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
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Profits from the pumpkin patch go towards the Cooper Trooper Foundation, a nonprofit that fights childhood cancer through sibling support and a research fund set up at Monroe Carell Jr.—
Andy Humbles,
Nashville Tennessean,
9 Oct. 2025
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The National Guard is deployed in three American states and the District of Columbia, while the federal government fights in court for deployments in Illinois and Oregon -- where the states' governors have protested the orders -- to be upheld as legal.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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First Mills will test whether Democrats have changed their electability calculus by taking on a crowded primary field, including 40-year-old oysterman Graham Platner, who opposes Schumer as leader.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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Neighbors for a Better San Diego, a group that represents mostly single-family homeowners and opposes nearby higher-density development, criticized the report for not tracking how many homes get demolished to make way for new projects.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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However, there were offices within DHS created to hold agents and their supervisors accountable for their actions on the job.—
J. David McSwane,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Murray addressed the incident earlier this year, stating that his actions were done in jest.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Activists literally or figuratively flying the antifa flag have long been among the subset of people who go to protests to destroy property and get into violent skirmishes with far-right protestors (like the Proud Boys).—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Law enforcement officers have deployed tear gas and pepper balls in skirmishes with protesters.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Some Virginia elections have turned into battles over which candidate will be toughest on data centers; others elections have already been lost over them.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
As things get predictably dark for the struggling couple – and for some unlucky flies that get to experience her rage first-hand – their battles are frequently hilarious.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Farmers in the Imperial Valley, who faced cuts beginning in 2020 that led to some fields being left fallow, will have to reconsider their crops, invest in water-saving irrigation systems, and possibly reduce their yield.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
13 Oct. 2025
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This donation is the foundation’s biggest yet to HBCUs in Georgia, following such previous gifts as $10 million to Spelman College for an innovation lab and $6 million to refurbish athletic fields at Clark Atlanta, Albany State, Miles College and Savannah State.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Deadly clashes erupted along Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan, marking a new low in the countries’ ties since the Taliban retook power in 2021.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
12 Oct. 2025
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Islamabad, Pakistan Reuters — Dozens of fighters were killed in overnight border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, both sides said on Sunday, in the most serious fighting between the neighbours since the Taliban came to power in Kabul.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The impact of geopolitics has surged, with national interests and strategic rivalries once again shaping global affairs and impacting business strategies.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
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University of Georgia’s Sanford Stadium hedges are more than just shrubbery around a field—they're witnesses to nearly a century of rivalries, victories, and legends that have graced Dooley Field.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Combats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combats. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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