combine

American  

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

verb (used with object)

combined, combining

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)

combined, combining

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

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.

Related Words

See mix.

Other Word Forms

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

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” ( 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

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived in Australia for a four-day tour which will see them combine visits to charitable causes alongside private, money-making engagements.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

During a postwar cocoa shortage in the 1940s, an Italian pastry chef named Pietro Ferrero had the genius idea to combine the scarce resource with an ingredient his town had in abundance: hazelnuts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

It shows that factors such as coordination, strength, limb mechanics, and individual physical traits all combine to influence how someone runs.

From Science Daily • Apr. 8, 2026

The new services combine the “strength and regulatory foundation of a nationally chartered bank with the speed, scale, and flexibility companies need to move and manage money or digital assets in real time,” Noto added.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Today we combine a laser and a photocell, or a radar transmitter and a radio telescope, and in this way make active contact by light with distant objects.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

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