combine
Americanverb (used with object)
-
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
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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)
-
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
-
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
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recombinernoun
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precombineverb
-
recombineverb
-
intercombineverb (used with object)
-
combinableadjective
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noncombiningadjective
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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:
Scott is a 10-time Grammy nominee whose ability to combine spectacle with his lyrical craft has gained him a significantly passionate following.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
The theory proposes that subjective experience arises in systems that combine large amounts of information into a unified whole.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026
“The most resilient retirement income plans combine several of these elements.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
An eBay spokesperson said they "combine technology, AI-supported monitoring and specialist teams to help maintain a safe and trusted marketplace," adding its efforts have "prevented millions of potentially unsafe items from being listed every year".
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
The explanation is partly that medieval European printers were able to combine six technological advances, most of which were unavailable to the maker of the Phaistos disk.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Nebbiolo, a grape grown mainly in southern Piedmont’s Langhe region, combines the finesse and complexity of Pinot Noir with the power and tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
The documentary combines the interviews with reenactments and archival footage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Created by Exclusive Ballooning in partnership with Aardman, it combines two of the city's best-known exports - animation and ballooning.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
If Alphabet were excluded from second-quarter earnings figures overall, the S&P 500’s blended earnings growth rate — which combines actual results and expected results — would fall to 25.9%, from 37.9%, according to the report.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026
We don’t yet have a complete and consistent theory that combines quantum mechanics and gravity.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
Other studies indicate that higher protein intake can support weight loss and help older adults preserve muscle, particularly when combined with exercise.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
During his two Cy Young seasons in 2024 and 2025, Skubal made 62 starts and pitched a combined 387 ⅓ innings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
Their combined age of 120 matches that of the theatre.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
The U.S. operates roughly the same number of aircraft carriers as the rest of the world combined.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Presentiments are strange things! and so are sympathies; and so are signs; and the three combined make one mystery to which humanity has not yet found the key.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
The contributions from Alphabet and Amazon put the S&P 500 on track for a wild second-quarter earnings-growth rate of 47.4%, when combining actual company results and estimates from those yet to report, according to FactSet.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 2, 2026
A Japanese journalist coined the term cosplay -- combining costume and play -- in 1984 after seeing people dressed as monsters and aliens at a sci-fi convention in Los Angeles.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
A new report suggests that high blood pressure may be managed more effectively by combining two dietary changes: consuming less sodium and getting more potassium.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026
Paramount has told investors it expects $6 billion in annual synergies within three years of combining operations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
In addition, we know that montmorillonite clays are a potent catalyst for combining amino acids into longer chain molecules resembling proteins.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
