combine 1 of 2

Definition of combinenext

combine

2 of 2

noun

1
as in cartel
a number of businesses or enterprises united for commercial advantage charged that the cable companies had formed an illegal combine for the purpose of keeping rates artificially high

Synonyms & Similar Words

2

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb combine differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of combine are associate, connect, join, link, relate, and unite. While all these words mean "to bring or come together into some manner of union," combine implies some merging or mingling with corresponding loss of identity of each unit.

combined jazz and rock to create a new music

When would associate be a good substitute for combine?

The meanings of associate and combine largely overlap; however, associate stresses the mere fact of frequent occurrence or existence together in space or in logical relation.

opera is popularly associated with high society

When is it sensible to use connect instead of combine?

While in some cases nearly identical to combine, connect suggests a loose or external attachment with little or no loss of identity.

a mutual defense treaty connected the two nations

When might join be a better fit than combine?

Although the words join and combine have much in common, join implies a bringing into contact or conjunction of any degree of closeness.

joined forces in an effort to win

In what contexts can link take the place of combine?

The synonyms link and combine are sometimes interchangeable, but link may imply strong connection or inseparability of elements still retaining identity.

a name forever linked with liberty

When can relate be used instead of combine?

The words relate and combine can be used in similar contexts, but relate suggests the existence of a real or presumed logical connection.

related what he observed to what he already knew

When is unite a more appropriate choice than combine?

The words unite and combine are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, unite implies somewhat greater loss of separate identity.

the colonies united to form a republic

How does the verb combine differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of combine are associate, connect, join, link, relate, and unite. While all these words mean "to bring or come together into some manner of union," combine implies some merging or mingling with corresponding loss of identity of each unit.

combined jazz and rock to create a new music

When would associate be a good substitute for combine?

The meanings of associate and combine largely overlap; however, associate stresses the mere fact of frequent occurrence or existence together in space or in logical relation.

opera is popularly associated with high society

When is it sensible to use connect instead of combine?

While in some cases nearly identical to combine, connect suggests a loose or external attachment with little or no loss of identity.

a mutual defense treaty connected the two nations

When might join be a better fit than combine?

Although the words join and combine have much in common, join implies a bringing into contact or conjunction of any degree of closeness.

joined forces in an effort to win

In what contexts can link take the place of combine?

The synonyms link and combine are sometimes interchangeable, but link may imply strong connection or inseparability of elements still retaining identity.

a name forever linked with liberty

When can relate be used instead of combine?

The words relate and combine can be used in similar contexts, but relate suggests the existence of a real or presumed logical connection.

related what he observed to what he already knew

When is unite a more appropriate choice than combine?

The words unite and combine are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, unite implies somewhat greater loss of separate identity.

the colonies united to form a republic

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 combine
Verb
Add half the dressing and toss to combine. Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026 When choosing trees for year-long interest, consider both long-term and temporal sources of color and texture, and think about how these combine with other elements. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
The combine wrapped up in Indianapolis Sunday and 319 college football players were invited to show off their skills and interview with teams. American Statesman Staff, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026 Hortiz said last week at the NFL draft combine in Indianapolis that retaining Mack and Oweh, another pending free agent, was a priority for the offseason. Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 3 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for combine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combine
Verb
  • Located between Iran’s southern coast and a peninsula shared by Oman and the Emirates, the strait is a tiny section of sea connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
  • January 20 – February 18 New ideas connect friends in surprisingly useful ways.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Simply mix 250g of low-fat quark (which contains around 20g of protein) with 40g of ground oats, half a banana as a natural binding agent and a dash of milk.
    Desireé Oostland, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Ground chicken is mixed with mild Monterey Jack cheese and a classic buffalo-style seasoning to make these flavorful meatballs.
    Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The heart of our agreement is a commitment to using lethal military force to destroy the sinister cartels and terrorist networks.
    Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Trump has also been critical of Mexico's efforts to fight drug cartels and traded barbs with the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro.
    Selina Wang, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The combination of a weak economy and high inflation is a worst-case scenario for investors because the Federal Reserve has no good tool to fix both problems at the same time.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The combination of the imagery and the operational context has prompted particular interest in the distinctive markings visible on the bombs, which differ from those typically seen on standard JDAM configurations.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This Mercury-Jupiter trine unites your distant 9th house and your personal 1st house, since Jupiter’s currently in your sign.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The Bruins, though, have found success as a Big Ten giant, with the vestiges of the old conference united in the most unlikely way.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Eyal noted that Palo Alto continues to see strong demand for security vendors with a unified platform ecosystem, which integrates multiple security functions, particularly network security, SASE (secure access service edge), endpoint and SIEM (security information and event management).
    TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Many Gulf desalination plants are physically integrated with power stations as co‑generation facilities, meaning attacks on electrical infrastructure could also hinder water production.
    Annika Hammerschlag, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Atterton wanted to use the hijacking as an opportunity to take out not only Sam but Bailey-Brown, removing any other trace of the Kingdom hijacking in the first season, and establishing his dominance over the Cheapside Firm, an international crime syndicate based in London.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Recent Mexican history is riddled with the tales of once-powerful syndicates — gangs in Guadalajara, Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez, among them — that ruptured, were gobbled up by other mobs or petered out as the big guys were captured or killed.
    Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • To at least minimize the damage, the coalition is pressing state regulators to adopt a different, slightly longer path that follows existing highway corridors.
    Marc Levy, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
  • In the conservative coalition’s primary, Senator Paloma Valencia is the favorite among nine contenders.
    Oscar Medina, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Combine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combine. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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