combination
Americannoun
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the act of combining or the state of being combined.
- Synonyms:
- coalescence, union, conjunction, association
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a number of things combined.
a combination of ideas.
- Synonyms:
- amalgam, amalgamation, mixture
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something formed by combining.
A chord is a combination of notes.
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an alliance of persons or parties.
a combination in restraint of trade.
- Synonyms:
- conspiracy, cabal, bloc, monopoly, combine, cartel, coalition, league, federation, association
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the set or series of numbers or letters used in setting the mechanism of a combination lock.
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the parts of the mechanism operated by this.
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Often combinations. a suit of underwear in one piece.
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Mathematics.
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the arrangement of elements into various groups without regard to their order in the group.
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a group thus formed.
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noun
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the act of combining or state of being combined
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a union of separate parts, qualities, etc
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an alliance of people or parties; group having a common purpose
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the set of numbers that opens a combination lock
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the mechanism of this type of lock
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a motorcycle with a sidecar attached
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maths
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an arrangement of the numbers, terms, etc, of a set into specified groups without regard to order in the group
the combinations of a, b, and c, taken two at a time, are ab, bc, ac
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a group formed in this way. The number of combinations of n objects taken r at a time is n !/[( n – r )! r !]. Symbol: n C r Compare permutation
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the chemical reaction of two or more compounds, usually to form one other compound
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chess a tactical manoeuvre involving a sequence of moves and more than one piece
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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intercombinationnoun
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noncombinationnoun
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precombinationnoun
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supercombinationnoun
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combinationaladjective
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uncombinationaladjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of combination
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English combinacyoun, from Middle French, from Late Latin combīnātiōn-, stem of combīnātiō “a joining by twos,” equivalent to combīnāt(us) “combined,” literally, “joined by twos” (past participle of combīnāre; see combine) + -iō -ion
Explanation
A combination is a grouping together of separate things. Your desire to live to a big city might come from a combination of your dreams of being on stage, and your obsession with underground trains. Combination is the act of combining, which comes from the Latin for "joining together two by two," although it's not necessary that you combine things in pairs. Your famous party mix might be a combination of pretzels, nuts, and espresso beans. Your locker combination is the set of numbers you have to dial to open the lock. If you plan to go on a TV talent show, get ready to learn some dance combinations. Kick, spin, drop, roll!
Vocabulary lists containing combination
List 1
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com-, con-
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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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:
The Swiss logistics company’s earnings momentum can be restored through a combination of global market leadership, market share gains in select industries, and an effective cost-cutting program, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
While thunderstorms are common in the region of this fire, thunderstorm conditions after three successive heatwaves is a new combination.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The Calamos team tries to identify companies at ideal stages of their growth cycles through “a combination of database screens, interaction of company management teams and studying sell-side analysts models and communicating with sell-side analysts.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Only part of the lower jaw has been found, but it contains a combination of traits not known in any other ape from the same period.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
On one side of the street there was Yount’s General—a combination general store and post office.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
He responded by touting the companies’ “overlap” and collaboration, before acknowledging that he can’t discuss corporate combinations on an earnings call and allowing Tesla’s general counsel to step in.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
As he puts it, natural selection blindly explores a vast “design space”—the trillions of trait combinations a species might have—turning up workable solutions that human designers have learned to borrow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The researchers emphasize that the findings should not be interpreted as proof that sweeteners or the tested combinations cause harm in people.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
Spain outclassed France with a performance built on principles we've come to know from them over decades now - possession, counter-pressing, a dominant midfield, and short passing combinations.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Most possible combinations of nucleotides are nonsense: they would cause the synthesis of proteins that perform no useful function.
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.
