˜yÐÄvlog

Advertisement

View synonyms for

combat

[ verb kuhm-bat, kom-bat, kuhm-; noun kom-bat, kuhm- ]

verb (used with object)

combated, combating or (especially British) combatted, combatting.
  1. to fight or contend against; oppose vigorously:

    to combat crime.

    Synonyms: ,



verb (used without object)

combated, combating or (especially British) combatted, combatting.
  1. to battle; contend:

    to combat with disease.

    Synonyms: ,

noun

  1. Military. active, armed fighting with enemy forces.
  2. a fight, struggle, or controversy, as between two persons, teams, or ideas.

combat

noun

  1. a fight, conflict, or struggle
    1. an action fought between two military forces
    2. ( as modifier )

      a combat jacket

  2. single combat
    a fight between two individuals; duel
  3. close combat or hand-to-hand combat
    fighting at close quarters
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to fight or defy
  2. intr; often foll by with or against to struggle or strive (against); be in conflict (with)

    to combat against disease

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ³¦´Ç³¾Ëˆ²ú²¹³Ù²¹²ú±ô±ð, adjective
  • ³¦´Ç³¾Ëˆ²ú²¹³Ù±ð°ù, noun
Discover More

Other ˜yÐÄvlog Forms

  • ³¦´Ç³¾Â·²ú²¹³Ùa·²ú±ô±ð adjective
  • ¾±²Ôt±ð°ù·³¦´Ç³¾î€ƒb²¹³Ù noun
  • ±è°ù±ð·³¦´Ç³¾î€ƒb²¹³Ù noun verb precombated precombating or (especially British) precombatted precombatting
  • ²õ±ð±ô´Ú-³¦´Ç³¾Â·²ú²¹³Ùi²Ô²µ adjective
  • un³¦´Ç³¾Â·²ú²¹³Ùa·²ú±ô±ð adjective
  • ³Ü²Ôc´Ç³¾Â·²ú²¹³ÙĻå adjective
Discover More

˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of combat1

First recorded in 1535–45; from Middle French combat (noun), combattre (verb), from Late Latin combattere, from Latin com- com- + Late Latin battere, from Latin battuere “to strike, beatâ€
Discover More

˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of combat1

C16: from French, from Old French combattre, from Vulgar Latin combattere (unattested), from Latin com- with + battuere to beat, hit
Discover More

Synonym Study

See fight
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

When an old combat friend of her husband’s agrees to help retrace his steps in order to try and help locate the body, “Việt and Nam†leaves the darkened corners of the mine behind.

From

And US authorities may need to raise interest rates to combat the inevitable spike in inflation.

From

But tech companies have also pointed to AI’s potential benefits such as combating diseases and climate change.

From

Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform, that the firm agreed to combat antisemitism and not engage in “DEI†efforts.

From

Further away from the combat zone, scattered celebrations for Eid spilled into the street.

From

Advertisement

Related ˜yÐÄvlogs

Discover More

More About Combat

What doesÌýcombat mean?

Combat is most commonly used in a military context to refer to active fighting among opposing armies. To engage in combat is to engage in fighting.

This kind of combat most commonly takes place on a battlefield or warzone on the ground (called a combat zone). Aerial combat involves fighting in the air among air forces.

Hand-to-hand combat involves close fighting, often literally with one’s hands.

Combat is often used as a modifier (adjective) in terms that refer to things related to or involving combat, such as combat training, combat medic, combat fatigue, and combat boots.

Combat is sometimes used more broadly or figuratively to refer to active conflict between two people or groups, as in The two corporations are preparing to do combat in the courtroom. The term verbal combat refers to fighting with words.

Combat is also commonly used as a verb meaning to oppose or work to defeat. It’s especially used when the thing to be defeated is intangible or abstract, as in We need to combat climate change or Our organization works to combat poverty. The figurative senses of the verbs fight and battle are close synonyms of this sense of combat.

The sides engaging in combat can be called combatants. The adjective combative means inclined to fight.

Example: The objective of basic training is to prepare our soldiers for combat.

Where doesÌýcombat come from?

The first records of the word combat come from the 1500s. It comes from the Late Latin combattere, from com-, meaning “with†or “together,†and the Latin verb battuere, meaning “to strike†or “to beat.†The word battle is based on this same root.

Combat most often implies physical fighting. Military combat on a battlefield can involve close combat—hand-to-hand fighting. This is how the word is used in the name of the popular and controversial video game series Mortal Kombat. The title calls to mind the term martial combat, which is fighting using martial arts.

When combat is used as a verb, it often likens the conflict to a military battle, implying that the thing that’s being combatted is a formidable opponent—that it won’t be defeated without a fight.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to combat?Ìý

  • combatable (adjective)

What are some synonyms for the noun combat?

What are some synonyms for the verb combat?

What are some words that share a root or word element with combat?Ìý

What are some words that often get used in discussing combat?

How isÌýcombat used in real life?

Combat is most commonly used in terms of military action. As a verb, it usually means to work to change a negative situation.

Ìý

Try usingÌýcombat!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of combat?Ìý

A. warfare
B. action
C. peace
D. fighting

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement