combine
Americanverb (used with object)
-
combines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
combined,
past participle, past
-
combining
present participle
-
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
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to possess or exhibit in union.
a plan that combines the best features of several other plans.
-
to harvest (grain) with a combine.
verb (used without object)
-
combines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
combined,
past participle, past
-
combining
present participle
-
to unite; coalesce.
The clay combined with the water to form a thick paste.
- Antonyms:
- separate
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to unite for a common purpose; join forces.
After the two factions combined, they proved invincible.
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to enter into chemical union.
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to use a combine in harvesting.
noun
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combines
plural
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a combination.
-
a combination of persons or groups for the furtherance of their political, commercial, or other interests, as a syndicate, cartel, or trust.
-
a harvesting machine for cutting and threshing grain in the field.
verb
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to integrate or cause to be integrated; join together
-
to unite or cause to unite to form a chemical compound
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agriculture to harvest (crops) with a combine harvester
noun
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agriculture short for combine harvester
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an association of enterprises, esp in order to gain a monopoly of a market
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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
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combinabilitynoun
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combinernoun
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recombinernoun
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precombineverb
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recombineverb
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intercombineverb (used with object)
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combinableadjective
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noncombiningadjective
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uncombiningadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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combinesimple
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combinessimple
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have combinedperfect
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has combinedperfect
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am combiningprogressive
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are combiningprogressive
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is combiningprogressive
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have been combiningperfect progressive
-
has been combiningperfect progressive
Past
-
combinedsimple
-
had combinedperfect
-
was combiningprogressive
-
were combiningprogressive
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had been combiningperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing combine
com-, con-
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Human Geography - Middle School
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Human Geography - High School
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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.
See Examples For:
The full-back and winger would regularly combine on the outside, but the relationship was never as simple as one holding the width and the other supporting underneath statically.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Thompson was clearly the fastest player going into the 2026 NFL draft after he posted a time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash, the third-best time ever, at the scouting combine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
And so we learn of instruments that reflect the order of the universe, or are activated by thought, or combine useful objects in perfectly impractical ways.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Scott is a 10-time Grammy nominee whose ability to combine spectacle with his lyrical craft has gained him a significantly passionate following.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
I never stop being amazed that these eighty-eight slices of ivory and ebony can combine to create harmonies.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
Known as NEUSLeeP, the device combines gentle ultrasound stimulation with electrodes that track brain activity as it happens.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
They used a risk calculator called Boadicea that combines factors such as family history, lifestyle, reproductive history and genetic information to give a risk score.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
“Perfectly positioned near ocean beaches, renowned restaurants, and the heart of the village, the property seamlessly combines privacy, elegance, and convenience.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
Nebbiolo, a grape grown mainly in southern Piedmont’s Langhe region, combines the finesse and complexity of Pinot Noir with the power and tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Rather than a system, Schulwerk combines instruments, singing, movement, and speech to develop children’s innate musical abilities.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
The Copernicus Climate Change Service said the combined average temperature in western Europe for June-July was 21.62C -- beating the 2022 record for the same period.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
There are now more than 20 million people in the UK living in an area where prolonged dry weather combined with heatwaves and high demand for water has led to restrictions on usage.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Because those elements were combined, the current study cannot establish how much each individual practice contributed.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
Pushing back against speculation regarding his political loyalties, Ellison pledged “independence” for his newsrooms and argued that the combined entity would control only a fraction of the streaming market.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
He was ever fearful of what lay in the shadows, and that ever-present dread, combined with his constant tilting at windmills, exhausted him.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Even so, combining CT data from several specimens, including the only two complete skulls in existence, allows scientists to move beyond centuries of speculation and make more evidence-based interpretations of the bird's biology.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
“And I always love combining two schools of acting: the professional and the nonprofessional.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
The total amount Meta has now been ordered to pay in a landmark New Mexico child-safety verdict, combining $375 million in civil penalties with a new $567 million abatement fund.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The smell of burnt wood combining with grapes for smoky wine would not necessarily make it unfit for consumption, but it would likely compromise sales, he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
The logic of combining forces was obvious to them: The groups would be stronger together.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
