as in soldier
a person, group, or country that fights in a war or battle
Britain was a major combatant in World War II.
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Recent Examples of combatant
Health officials in Gaza do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but report that many casualties include women and children.
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Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
The figure does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Oct. 2024
The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says more than half of those killed were women and children.
—Ami Bentov, Tia Goldenberg, Samy Magdy and Joseph Krauss, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
More than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to local health officials, who don’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but say more than half of the dead have been women and children.
—Jon Gambrell, TIME, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for combatant 
Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
The figure does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Oct. 2024
The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says more than half of those killed were women and children.
—Ami Bentov, Tia Goldenberg, Samy Magdy and Joseph Krauss, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
More than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to local health officials, who don’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but say more than half of the dead have been women and children.
—Jon Gambrell, TIME, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for combatant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatant
Noun
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The memorial pays tribute to the 19 special ops soldiers and Navy SEALS killed during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan in 2005, including Cupertino residents Matt Axelson and James Suh.Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
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That keeps casualties low, even in a land war, which is usually very deadly for soldiers and civilians.Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The most ardent warrior on the voter fraud front has been Paxton, who has repeatedly and without evidence alleged that Democrats are conspiring with Mexican drug cartels to illegally import voters.Saul Elbein, The Hill, 3 Nov. 2024
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The entire film takes place in a marsh where two women — a mother and a daughter-in-law — make their living by murdering samurai who wander into their swampy territory and selling the warriors' armor for cash.Katie Rife, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Kai Ryssdal: Not only were buildings destroyed, virtually leveled, the Air Force says, but some F-22 fighters as well, which cost hundreds of millions of dollars, were also damaged.Outside Online, Outside Online, 13 Nov. 2024
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During the rapprochement between China and the United States in the 1970s (which followed the split between China and the Soviet Union), North Korea hosted Soviet naval ships in its ports and allowed Soviet fighter jets to enter North Korean airspace.Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers confiscated more than 175 pounds of the drug during a traffic stop involving a Dodge Ram pickup on IH-35 in Webb Country.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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The trooper went back to his cruiser and asked Larriett to wait at his car.Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 30 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Combatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatant. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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