combat

1 of 3

noun

com·​bat ˈkäm-ˌbat 

1

: a fight or contest between individuals or groups

2

: conflict, controversy

3

: active fighting in a war : action

casualties suffered in combat

combat

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verb

com·​bat kəm-ˈbat  ˈkäm-ˌbat 

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

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adjective

com·​bat ˈkäm-ˌbat 

1

: relating to combat

combat missions

2

: designed or destined for combat

combat boots

combat troops

Synonyms of combat

Noun

• field
• attack
• battle
• fire
• action
• hostilities

Verb

• fight
• battle

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

China also fields the largest aviation force in the Indo-Pacific and the third largest in the world, with more than 3,000 aircraft overall and roughly 2,400 combat aircraft. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026

Over a 27-year career, he was deployed to the Middle East and South America and earned the Legion of Merit and nine combat medals as a fighter pilot. —Mathew Schumer, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2026

Verb

California attorney general's action to combat hospice fraud State Attorney General Rob Bonta says his office has brought criminal fraud cases against more than 100 defendants in the hospice industry and has filed about two dozen civil cases. —Adam Yamaguchi, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026

Oz, who earlier this year was criticized after posting a video accusing Armenian crime groups of carrying out widespread fraud, continued Thursday to accuse California and Los Angeles officials of not doing enough to combat fraud. —Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026

Adjective

Military flights routinely turned off ADS-B out capabilities, even on non-combat missions. —Zach Wichter, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026

This enables a safe recovery during training exercises or if a strike mission is aborted, a feature aimed at reducing losses during non-combat operations. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026

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

1548, 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

Phrases Containing combat

• combat fatigue
• hors de combat
• mortal combat
• single combat

Kids Definition

combat

1 of 2 noun

com·​bat ˈkäm-ˌbat 

1

: a fight or contest between individuals or groups

2

: conflict entry 1 sense 2

3

: active fighting in a war : action

soldiers experienced in combat

combat

2 of 2 verb

com·​bat kəm-ˈbat 

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