combat

1 of 3

noun

com·​bat ˈkäm-ˌbat How to pronounce combat (audio)
1
: a fight or contest between individuals or groups
2
3
: active fighting in a war : action
casualties suffered in combat

combat

2 of 3

verb

com·​bat kəm-ˈbat How to pronounce combat (audio)
ˈkäm-ˌba-
combated or combatted; combating or combatting

intransitive verb

: to engage in combat : fight

transitive verb

1
: to fight with : battle
2
: to struggle against
especially : to strive to reduce or eliminate
combat pollution

combat

3 of 3

adjective

com·​bat ˈkäm-ˌbat How to pronounce combat (audio)
1
: relating to combat
combat missions
2
: designed or destined for combat
combat boots
combat troops
Choose the Right Synonym for combat

oppose, combat, resist, withstand mean to set oneself against someone or something.

oppose can apply to any conflict, from mere objection to bitter hostility or warfare.

opposed the plan

combat stresses the forceful or urgent countering of something.

combat disease

resist implies an overt recognition of a hostile or threatening force and a positive effort to counteract or repel it.

resisting temptation

withstand suggests a more passive resistance.

trying to withstand peer pressure

Examples of combat in a Sentence

Noun Some of these soldiers have never seen combat. He was killed in combat. Verb The drug helps combat infection. She dedicated her life to combating poverty. Exercise can help combat the effects of stress. The mayor pledged to combat crime. They have been combating the rebels for months.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Russia has used them multiple times in combat with Ukraine. Sassie Duggleby, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 In early moments, Dalton takes on the low-level threats, and the focus is on a kind of intellectual combat that flaunts his precision and agility. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 For 100 straight days after the Colosseum opened in 80 C.E., tens of thousands of citizens packed into the amphitheater to ogle staged hunts and gladiatorial combat — or, to put it bluntly, the systematic slaughter of animals and men. Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 While many Palestinians fled combat in the north of the enclave, a few hundred thousand are believed to remain in the largely devastated and isolated region. Wafaa Shurafa, arkansasonline.com, 1 Mar. 2024 New ship: On Oct. 25, 2019, the U.S. Navy commissioned the USS Cincinnati combat ship. Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2024 In just a dozen days, Russia lost as many combat aircraft in its ongoing war in Ukraine. Peter Suciu, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 But only a little more than half of his troops had any combat experience themselves. Kostiantyn Khudov, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024 The Houthis insist their attacks will continue until Israel stops its combat operations in the Gaza Strip, which have enraged the wider Arab world and seen the Houthis gain international recognition. TIME, 2 Mar. 2024
Verb
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management sent out equipment, resources, and 11 crewmembers to Texas to help combat the largest and most destructive wildfires in the state's history on Thursday morning. Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 Last week's agreement ensures that Kenya will send 1,000 police officers to the troubled Caribbean nation to help combat ongoing gang violence. Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2024 One of the most important levers CEOs can pull to combat disengagement and employee churn is purpose. Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The bakery chain also handed out free donuts in February to combat frustrations over a nationwide cellphone outage. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 Disneyland and Disney World have kept the price of their cheapest tickets steady while annually raising the cost of admission on the busiest days of the year to combat critics who say the parks have grown too expensive — but that argument is about to disappear. Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 28 Feb. 2024 Middle Eastern countries see especially tempting opportunities to exploit Sudan’s natural resources, access its ports along the Red Sea, use it as a base to combat the Houthis in Yemen, quash pro-democracy efforts, and strengthen the hand of Islamist or anti-Islamist groups. John Prendergast, Foreign Affairs, 27 Feb. 2024 To combat this, Bosley MD’s formula contains pumpkin seed extract and saw palmetto, both natural DHT blockers, along with rosemary oil to curb damaging scalp inflammation. Macaela MacKenzie, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2024 Beyond skincare, there certain lifestyle factors can also play a role in combating dry skin. Jani Hall, Health, 21 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Players represent the Axis powers and the Allied powers, and in every turn get to make both combat and non-combat moves across the globe as well as decide what military units to build and whether or not to fund research. Julianne Hilmes Bartlett, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2022 In a recent visit to Baghdad to meet with Iraqi leaders, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said U.S. forces are ready to remain in Iraq, in a non-combat role, at the invitation of the government. Lolita C. Baldor and Tara Copp, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Mar. 2023 He’s been awarded a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the highest award for non-combat valor. San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Feb. 2023 Reed is at least the sixth American killed in Ukraine, including some fighters and some in non-combat roles, The Washington Post reported. Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Feb. 2023 As of 2021, women made up 15% of Taiwan’s military, but serve mostly in non-combat roles, the CIA Factbook says. Wayne Chang, CNN, 18 Jan. 2023 In ensuing years, immersing as an artist helped him through post-combat stress disorder. Dallas News, 22 Dec. 2022 Ukraine's cause is also boosted by non-combat drones and special equipment, such as the mine-detection technology and medical drones supplied to various NGOs by the Canadian company Draganfly. Yuriy Zaliznyak, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2022 The idea of supersonic non-combat aircraft flying for the Pentagon could finally be here. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 20 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'combat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French, from combatre to attack, fight, from Vulgar Latin *combattere, from Latin com- + battuere to beat

First Known Use

Noun

1546, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1564, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Adjective

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of combat was in 1546

Dictionary Entries Near combat

Cite this Entry

“Combat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combat. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

combat

1 of 2 noun
com·​bat ˈkäm-ˌbat How to pronounce combat (audio)
1
: a fight or contest between individuals or groups
2
3
: active fighting in a war : action
soldiers experienced in combat

combat

2 of 2 verb
com·​bat kəm-ˈbat How to pronounce combat (audio)
ˈkäm-ˌbat
combated or combatted; combating or combatting
1
: to fight with : battle
2
: to struggle against
especially : to strive to reduce or eliminate
combat disease

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