combine

American  

[kuhm-bahyn, kom-bahyn, kom-bahyn, kuhm-bahyn, kom-bahyn] / kəmˈbaɪn, ˈkɒm baɪn, ˈkɒm baɪn, kəmˈbaɪn, ˈkɒm baɪn /

verb (used with object)

combines, present (3rd person singular) combined, past participle, past combining present participle

1. 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

2. to possess or exhibit in union.

   a plan that combines the best features of several other plans.

3. to harvest (grain) with a combine.

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verb (used without object)

combines, present (3rd person singular) combined, past participle, past combining present participle

1. to unite; coalesce.

   The clay combined with the water to form a thick paste.

   Antonyms:

   separate

2. to unite for a common purpose; join forces.

   After the two factions combined, they proved invincible.

3. to enter into chemical union.

4. to use a combine in harvesting.

noun

combines plural

1. a combination.

2. a combination of persons or groups for the furtherance of their political, commercial, or other interests, as a syndicate, cartel, or trust.

   Synonyms:

   bloc, alignment, monopoly, merger

3. a harvesting machine for cutting and threshing grain in the field.

combine British  

verb

1. to integrate or cause to be integrated; join together

2. to unite or cause to unite to form a chemical compound

3. agriculture to harvest (crops) with a combine harvester

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noun

1. agriculture short for combine harvester

2. an association of enterprises, esp in order to gain a monopoly of a market

3. 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

• combinability
  noun
• combiner
  noun
• recombiner
  noun
• precombine
  verb
• recombine
  verb
• intercombine
  verb (used with object)
• combinable
  adjective
• noncombining
  adjective
• uncombining
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• combines
  plural

Participles

• combining
  present
• combined
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• combine
  simple
• combines
  simple
• have combined
  perfect
• has combined
  perfect
• am combining
  progressive
• are combining
  progressive
• is combining
  progressive
• have been combining
  perfect progressive
• has been combining
  perfect progressive

Past

• combined
  simple
• had combined
  perfect
• was combining
  progressive
• were combining
  progressive
• had been combining
  perfect progressive

Future

• will combine
  simple
• will have combined
  perfect
• will be combining
  progressive
• will have been combining
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

combine combines combined combining

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

However, the discovery could eventually support technologies that combine optics and electronics, including advanced sensing, imaging, and telecommunications.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

Rather than preparing to combine the companies, Paramount’s attention will be dominated by discovery, depositions and defending the merger in court, leaving integration plans largely on hold.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

The profit decline was driven primarily by $1.8 billion in pretax special items, the company said, including a $746 million loss related to its agreement with Britain’s BT Group to combine their respective international operations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

“We should ride forth to meet them. Why allow them to combine their strength?”

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Joseph A. Gabelli described an approach that combines discounted valuations for companies with additional “catalysts” to send stock prices soaring.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

HSA managing director John Pitchforth says it's "radically improved" as it combines "modern technology with engineering fundamentals".

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

The second combines cold atmospheric plasma with gas dispersion.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026

Its policy combines investigation, discipline and mandatory education.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

Heads of factories; directors of industries and agricultural combines who hate to be what they call ‘the Machine’s office-boy’ belong to it.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

But hotel construction, combined with overfishing and pollution, is compounding threats already posed by climate to coral.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

However, the signings of both Duran and Hogh come with a reported combined cost of about £15m, and the pair arrive with Champions League pedigree.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

The premise is evident in the consensus estimates for the five hyperscalers when combined as a group.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

The Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers combined for 13 runs, 23 hits and three home runs Monday at Comerica Park, but the biggest thrills of the game didn’t come from either team’s roster.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

And on a scale as large as a tectonic plate, a little bit of motion combined with a lot of stickiness can build up an enormous amount of energy.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

That’s a private customized investment approach designed to reduce losses during market downturns by combining investments in stocks with hedging tools such as options, futures and/or short-selling.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

“But obviously we can’t talk about, you know, combining companies and that kind of thing on earnings calls. It’s got to be done with the appropriate process.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

"Obviously we can't talk about combining companies and that kind of thing on an earnings call. It's got to be done with the appropriate process."

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

By combining these methods with imaging, the researchers were able to measure collagen abundance and structural coherence within the same section of tissue.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 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

Related Words

• associate
• blend
• couple
• fuse
• incorporate
• link
• merge
• mix