combat
verb (used with object)
to fight or contend against; oppose vigorously.
have been combating
-
present perfect progressiveof combat.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Officials in the US and in Latin America have been combating the problem of screwworms for much of the past six decades, with limited success.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
Firefighters have been combating a huge blaze at a Shell chemical plant in Deer Park, Texas, apparently caused by an explosion.
From BBC ● May 5, 2023
The R.S.F. and the regular army have been combating each other, led by rival generals vying for power in Sudan, a northeast African country of 45 million people surrounded by seven nations.
From New York Times ● Apr. 27, 2023
“AQAP is a threat to our community in Yemen and we Yemenis have been combating terrorism and AQAP.”
From Washington Post ● Feb. 24, 2020
The spread of the misconception that we have been combating is perhaps accounted for by the circumstance that imagination in one man is the cause of feeling in others.
From Practical Essays by Alexander Bain
