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View synonyms for combat

combat

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

verb (used with object)

, com·bat·ed, com·bat·ing or (especially British) com·bat·ted, com·bat·ting.
  1. to fight or contend against; oppose vigorously:

    to combat crime.

    Synonyms: contest, struggle



verb (used without object)

, com·bat·ed, com·bat·ing or (especially British) com·bat·ted, com·bat·ting.
  1. to battle; contend:

    to combat with disease.

    Synonyms: contest, struggle

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
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Derived Forms

  • comˈbatable, adjective
  • comˈbater, noun
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Other Words From

  • com·bata·ble adjective
  • inter·combat noun
  • pre·combat noun verb precombated precombating or (especially British) precombatted precombatting
  • self-com·bating adjective
  • uncom·bata·ble adjective
  • uncom·bated adjective
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Word 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, beat”
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Word 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
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Synonym Study

See fight
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Example Sentences

It was a fitting start for the man now known as Arslan Ash, a 24-year-old esports superstar thanks to his prowess at the combat game Tekken.

From Ozy

The combat appeared on a video screen with small blips for each aircraft.

From Fortune

As one of the biggest fires on a Navy ship outside of combat smoldered for a third day, so raged community members’ concerns over the contents of the billowing smoke.

All but one woman showed signs of having ridden horses in combat.

This naval tactic gave the Romans the upper-hand since they were known for their expertise in close-quarter combat.

The Perfect Storm writer talks combat brotherhood and the threat posed by growing wealth inequality.

The State Innovation Exchange, a Democratic group, has been set up to combat corporate-led right-wing organizations.

From 2012 to 2013, 31 men left Aarhus bound for combat in Syria.

It was an attempt to combat a growing chill on free speech in Turkey while placing his newspaper at the center of the debate.

Excessive force to combat minor infractions of the law is the central issue today.

He looked strangely out of place in the dusty combat uniform.

The morning came and with it Shaffer, and with him five hundred and fifty men, eager for the combat.

Wright and his followers regard the opsonic index as an index of the power of the body to combat bacterial invasion.

But Strongarm lived in the age of combat when people fought animals at close range.

He demands from the king the gift of the first combat that shall offer, which is granted as a mere joke.

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Related Words

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More About Combat

What does combat 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 does combat 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

  • 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

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

How is combat 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.

 

Try using combat!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of combat

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

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