combine
Americanverb (used with object)
-
combines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
combined,
past participle, past
-
combining
present participle
-
to bring into or join in a close union or whole; unite.
She combined the ingredients to make the cake.
They combined the two companies.
- Synonyms:
- amalgamate, compound
- Antonyms:
- separate
-
to possess or exhibit in union.
a plan that combines the best features of several other plans.
-
to harvest (grain) with a combine.
verb (used without object)
-
combines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
combined,
past participle, past
-
combining
present participle
-
to unite; coalesce.
The clay combined with the water to form a thick paste.
- Antonyms:
- separate
-
to unite for a common purpose; join forces.
After the two factions combined, they proved invincible.
-
to enter into chemical union.
-
to use a combine in harvesting.
noun
-
combines
plural
-
a combination.
-
a combination of persons or groups for the furtherance of their political, commercial, or other interests, as a syndicate, cartel, or trust.
-
a harvesting machine for cutting and threshing grain in the field.
verb
-
to integrate or cause to be integrated; join together
-
to unite or cause to unite to form a chemical compound
-
agriculture to harvest (crops) with a combine harvester
noun
-
agriculture short for combine harvester
-
an association of enterprises, esp in order to gain a monopoly of a market
-
an association of business corporations, political parties, sporting clubs, etc, for a common purpose
Usage
What does combine mean? To combine means to join two or more things together into a single unit. When things are combined, they form combinations. Less commonly, combine can also be used as a noun to refer to several different things, especially a grain harvester and an event at which athletes showcase their skills. Example: At the draft combine, scouts are looking for a player who combines strength, agility, and intelligence in a single package.
Synonym Usage
See mix.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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combinabilitynoun
-
combinernoun
-
recombinernoun
-
precombineverb
-
recombineverb
-
intercombineverb (used with object)
-
combinableadjective
-
noncombiningadjective
-
uncombiningadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
combinesimple
-
combinessimple
-
have combinedperfect
-
has combinedperfect
-
am combiningprogressive
-
are combiningprogressive
-
is combiningprogressive
-
have been combiningperfect progressive
-
has been combiningperfect progressive
Past
-
combinedsimple
-
had combinedperfect
-
was combiningprogressive
-
were combiningprogressive
-
had been combiningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of combine
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English combinen, from Middle French combiner, from Late Latin combīnāre, equivalent to com- com- + -bīnāre, verb derived from bīnī “by twos” ( cf. binary)
Explanation
When you put things together, you combine them, creating one out of several. In some cases, the different items blend their properties and cannot be divided again, while in other cases the combined items can be picked out separately. In Latin, the prefix com- means "together," and bīnī means "two by two." These were combined to create the word combīnāre, or "to unite." Comedian Dave Attell offers a good use of the verb combine (cum-BINE): What're the two things they tell you are healthiest to eat? Chicken and fish. You know what you should do? Combine them, eat a penguin. Hiram Moore's combine (the noun is pronounced COM-bine) was a machine that combined reaping, binding, and threshing into one machine, saving farmers a lot of work.
Vocabulary lists containing combine
com-, con-
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Human Geography - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As skies clear overnight and winds remain light, mist and fog patches will readily form, and combine with some slightly cooler nights and following days.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
No longer just events where designers use trunks full of samples to sell preorders, many combine the instant gratification of off-the-rack shopping with exclusive locations—private homes, hotels, yachts—and free perks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
These widely used records combine observations and, in some cases, additional atmospheric data to track how Earth's temperature has changed over time.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
When companies with similar businesses look to combine, regulators seek to assess whether the proposed merger could stifle competition in the market.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
What I hope will become clear from this book is that one can usefully combine a descriptive and prescriptive approach to what is happening to this single aspect of the language.
From "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Author
The property combines a sizable floor plan with the privacy of a seven-residence building, offering a different living experience from the larger luxury condominium towers found in major metropolitan areas.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
With no previous experience of the sport, he has just qualified to enter international competitions as a para biathlete - which combines cross-country skiing and shooting.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
“Medea: A Life,” by Edith Hall, a professor of classics at Durham University in England, combines invention and scholarship in a portrait of this compelling character.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
"The study combines the advantages of in vivo and in vitro methods," says Michael Heide, head of the Junior Research Group Brain Development and Evolution.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
It combines learning how to handle die specific processes for the company whose calls they will be taking or making, and attending something called “accent neutralization class.”
From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman
The companies said that, combined, they’ll be able to more quickly address market opportunities.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
The researchers combined California's detailed pesticide application records with participants' residential and workplace address histories.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026
But economists generally ascribe that to the combined effects of an aging population and an immigration crackdown that has reduced the supply of available workers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
Three wins is as many as Spurs had in their previous 26 league games combined, in which they drew 10 and lost 13, going back to midway through last season.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
He must have been feeling particularly nasty that night, because he’d combined pine sap with the knots.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
Building on these results, Gelabert and his colleagues are now combining DNA recovered from ancient sediments with advanced proteomic techniques, which examine proteins for clues about past life.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
To understand how this modelling works, think of it as predicting invisible patterns by combining known data points with environmental signals.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
The British company, Rivan Industries, is working on a system to split hydrogen from water and capture carbon dioxide directly from the air, before combining them to make methane, a cleaner substitute for natural gas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
In May, CEO Andy Jassy described placing inventory closer to customers and combining more purchases into each shipment.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
By combining scraps of data on several inscriptions, archaeologists have calculated that Chak Tok Ich’aak probably acceded to the throne in 360 a.d.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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