combine

[ verb kuhm-bahyn kom-bahyn noun kom-bahyn, kuhm-bahyn kom-bahyn ]

verb (used with object)

, com·bined, com·bin·ing.

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.

verb (used without object)

, com·bined, com·bin·ing.

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

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

noun

1. See combine harvester
   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

Derived Forms

• comˈbiner, noun
• comˌbinaˈbility, noun
• comˈbinable, adjective

Other Words From

• com·biner noun
• inter·com·bine verb (used with object) intercombined intercombining
• noncom·bining adjective
• precom·bine verb precombined precombining
• recom·bine verb recombined recombining
• recom·biner noun
• uncom·bining adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of combine¹

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of combine¹

C15: from Late Latin combīnāre, from Latin com- together + bīnī two by two

Synonym Study

See mix.

Example Sentences

In moments like these—at the graveside, in the hospital room, around the dinner table, riding the combine—cynicism rings hollow.

From Fortune

Teams take great pains to try to quantify prospects’ general athleticism each year at the combine in Indianapolis.

From FiveThirtyEight

It takes the burden of having to manage a lot of different things on the combine from the operator.

From Fortune

In addition to smart harvesting combines, the company is also developing technology using cameras to inspect individual plants and weeds in a field to modulate the amount of fertilizer and pesticides applied based on need.

From Fortune

It’s like we’ve gone through a field after the combine has been through, and we are trying to find a kernel here and there.

From Washington Post

This is a testament to the fundamental human—and American—desire to combine place and possibility.

From The Daily Beast

Combine the beans and onion sauce in a 9x9-inch casserole dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

From The Daily Beast

Combine the cold butter and flour in the bowl of a food processor.

From The Daily Beast

Add chocolate and butter to the bowl and melt, stirring to combine.

From The Daily Beast

Then they would go to a hotel afterwards and combine the parts they had remembered in one sketch.

From The Daily Beast

Those stains which are dissolved in methyl-alcohol combine fixation with the staining process.

From Project Gutenberg

They combine the fixing with the staining process, and stain differentially every normal and abnormal structure in the blood.

From Project Gutenberg

The manufacturers of these pipes claim for them that they combine the strength of steel with the lightness of paper.

From Project Gutenberg

Lets combine a flying machine with an iceboat and beat out everybody on the lake this winter!

From Project Gutenberg

Wisdom and experience combine in suggesting to all parents that they should guide their children, and not be governed by them.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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

More About Combine

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.

Where does combine come from?

The first records of the word combine come from around the 1400s. It is derived from the Late Latin combīnāre, which is formed from com-, meaning “together,” and bīnī, meaning “two by two.”

Combining often involves joining two things, but it can be more than two. When you combine multiple things, the idea is to form a single thing. Chefs combine ingredients to create a dish. Elements combine to form molecules. Writers combine words to form sentences, and combine sentences to form paragraphs, and combine paragraphs to hit their word count. People can combine efforts to achieve a goal, or combine their powers to summon Captain Planet, or combine vehicles to form Voltron, or combine pop culture references to hit their word count.

Less commonly, combine can be used as a noun, in which case it is pronounced “COM-bine.” In the context of farming, a combine is a machine used to harvest grain. (It can also be used as a verb in this context, meaning “to harvest grain with a combine machine.” It is pronounced the same way as the noun.) As a noun, combine can also be used to refer to a combination or group, such as an association or organizations, though this use is uncommon. In sports, a combine is an event in which new players can showcase their talents for teams. It is especially used in the phrases draft combine and scouting combine.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to combine?

• combination (noun)
• combinable (adjective)
• combinability (noun)
• combiner (noun)
• intercombine (noun)
• noncombining (adjective)
• precombine (verb)

What are some synonyms for combine?

• join
• unite
• showcase

What are some words that share a root or word element with combine? 

 

• binary
• combinatorial

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

• two
• blend
• mix
• fuse
• bond
• merge
• conjoin

How is combine used in real life?

Combine can be used in countless contexts. Both abstract and tangible things can be combined.

Genetics, environmental influences, parenting styles, friends, teachers, schools, and the culture at large are just some of the major factors that combine in unique ways to determine how a child develops and the person they will one day become.

— Bhagyashree भाग्यश्री (@me_Bhagyashree) March 10, 2020

Had my first taste of Durian and it tastes like off cream cheese combined with bad pineapple

— Hysterics (@HystericsCasts) August 30, 2019

Final: Delaware/Otsego defeats Broome/Chenango 104-93 in OT in the MAC Boys Senior game. The 2 teams combine for 41 three’s. Insane! D/O sets a new senior game record with 26 three’s in the contest #WCDO

— Nate Lull (@NateLull) March 10, 2020

 

 

Try using combine!

Which of the following words could be considered an antonym (opposite) of combine?

A. together
B. bond
C. fuse
D. separate