Combat — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb adjective /ˈkäm-ˌbat/ (noun) /kəm-ˈbat/ (verb) com·bat

Meaning & Definition of Combat

Combat (noun)

  1. a fight or contest between individuals or groups
  2. conflict, controversy
  3. active fighting in a war, action

Combat (verb)

  1. to engage in combat, fight
  2. to fight with, battle
  3. to struggle against; especially, to strive to reduce or eliminate

Combat (adjective)

  1. relating to combat
  2. designed or destined for combat

Combat (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to oppose (someone) in physical conflict

    "a general eager to combat the enemy on his own ground"

  2. to strive to reduce or eliminate

    "must marshal all of our resources to combat this disease"

Combat (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. active fighting during the course of a war

    "a soldier who served throughout the war without actually seeing combat"

    similar: action, battle, field
  2. a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups

    "the two stags entered a furious combat for dominance of the herd"

    near: truce
  3. an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another

    "the fierce ideological combat between the religionists and the secularists"

Related Entry: Single combat (noun)

Single combat is a different word from Combat. The synonyms below are for single combat, not for combat.

  1. as in fire, attack

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Combat

The most common words with a similar meaning to Combat:

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Combat

Words with the opposite meaning of Combat:

Near Antonyms of Combat

Word Forms of Combat

Inflections: combated, combatted, combating, combatting

Origin & Etymology of Combat

Anglo-French, from combatre to attack, fight, from Vulgar Latin *combattere, from Latin com- + battuere to beat

First known use: 1548

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Combat

Words & Phrases Containing Combat

Frequently Asked Questions about Combat

What does "Combat" mean?

"Combat" means a fight or contest between individuals or groups. As an a noun, a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: a fight or contest between individuals or groups. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Combat"?

Other words for "Combat" include battle, clash (with), fight, scrimmage (with), skirmish (with), war (against), contend (with) and counter. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Combat" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Combat"?

There are 145 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Combat". Common alternatives include battle, clash (with), fight, scrimmage (with), skirmish (with), war (against), contend (with), counter, oppose and oppugn.

What is the opposite of "Combat"?

Antonyms of "Combat" include advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish and nurture. Near antonyms include give up, submit, surrender and abide.

How do you use "Combat" in a sentence?

Examples of "Combat" in a sentence: "a general eager to combat the enemy on his own ground"; "must marshal all of our resources to combat this disease"; "a soldier who served throughout the war without actually seeing combat".

Is "Combat" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Combat" can be used as a noun, a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Combat" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Combat" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Combat"?

"Combat" is pronounced /ˈkäm-ˌbat/ as a noun and /kəm-ˈbat/ as a verb and divided into syllables as com·bat.