variants
or combatting
1
as in fighting
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 opposing
to strive to reduce or eliminate
must marshal all of our resources to combat this disease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combating
The 49ers have had an effective formula for combating their never-ending injuries.
—
Matt Barrows, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Danes feel proud of Ørsted, which has succeeded financially while combatting climate change, a national priority.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Many of the levies, though, are focused on combating overtourism and keeping visitors away, not on climate change specifically.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2026
As food pantry lines grow longer across Brooklyn and Queens, New York state lawmakers are pressing Albany to pass legislation aimed at combating food insecurity.
—Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Since taking office in 2019, Craig has filed various bills aimed at combating fraud in federal programs.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
As a 19-year-old from the inner city of Kansas City, Darrion Nimrod created The Outsiders Social Club as a safe space for young adults who were combating their mental health.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2026
Humor is a powerful tool in combating cynicism and burnout and in developing a vision for a better world.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Since the shooting, Kelly and Giffords have dedicated themselves to combating gun violence in America.
—Ilana Frost, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Matt Barrows, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Danes feel proud of Ørsted, which has succeeded financially while combatting climate change, a national priority.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Many of the levies, though, are focused on combating overtourism and keeping visitors away, not on climate change specifically.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2026
As food pantry lines grow longer across Brooklyn and Queens, New York state lawmakers are pressing Albany to pass legislation aimed at combating food insecurity.
—Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Since taking office in 2019, Craig has filed various bills aimed at combating fraud in federal programs.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
As a 19-year-old from the inner city of Kansas City, Darrion Nimrod created The Outsiders Social Club as a safe space for young adults who were combating their mental health.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2026
Humor is a powerful tool in combating cynicism and burnout and in developing a vision for a better world.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Since the shooting, Kelly and Giffords have dedicated themselves to combating gun violence in America.
—Ilana Frost, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combating
Verb
-
Impressively, Newcastle have reached mid-January still fighting — and, in a roundabout way, even (arguably) thriving — on all four fronts, albeit in a non-linear and rarely convincing fashion.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Candid figure on war, civil rights and religion Beyond the boxing ring, Ali was outspoken about his beliefs when many Black Americans were still fighting to be heard.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The New York City Police Department maintained a safety perimeter around the protest to ensure no chaos sparked between the opposing protesters.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The footage released by CCTV depicted two opposing forces in the exercise.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Chicago Bulls legend and Simeon High School graduate Derrick Rose was back at the Advocate Center on Friday to surprise a young Bulls fan who's battling cancer.—
Matt Zahn,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Carter's final film role came in 2020's The Way Back, which starred Ben Affleck as a high school basketball coach battling with alcoholism.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
London saw its lowest murder rate on record last year, countering a right-wing narrative that the city is dangerous.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Wind farms can interfere with radar-detection systems, but the wind industry has developed effective methods for countering that interference.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combating. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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