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View synonyms for combat

combat

[ verb kuhm-bat, kom-bat, kuhm-; noun kom-bat, kuhm- ]

verb (used with object)

, com·bat·ed, com·bat·ing or (especially British) com·bat·ted, com·bat·ting.
  1. to fight or contend against; oppose vigorously:

    to combat crime.

    Synonyms: contest, struggle



verb (used without object)

, com·bat·ed, com·bat·ing or (especially British) com·bat·ted, com·bat·ting.
  1. to battle; contend:

    to combat with disease.

    Synonyms: contest, struggle

noun

  1. Military. active, armed fighting with enemy forces.
  2. a fight, struggle, or controversy, as between two persons, teams, or ideas.

combat

noun

  1. a fight, conflict, or struggle
    1. an action fought between two military forces
    2. ( as modifier )

      a combat jacket

  2. single combat
    a fight between two individuals; duel
  3. close combat or hand-to-hand combat
    fighting at close quarters


verb

  1. tr to fight or defy
  2. intr; often foll by with or against to struggle or strive (against); be in conflict (with)

    to combat against disease

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Derived Forms

  • comˈbatable, adjective
  • comˈbater, noun

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Other Words From

  • com·bata·ble adjective
  • inter·combat noun
  • pre·combat noun verb precombated precombating or (especially British) precombatted precombatting
  • self-com·bating adjective
  • uncom·bata·ble adjective
  • uncom·bated adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of combat1

First recorded in 1535–45; from Middle French combat (noun), combattre (verb), from Late Latin combattere, from Latin com- com- + Late Latin battere, from Latin battuere “to strike, beat”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of combat1

C16: from French, from Old French combattre, from Vulgar Latin combattere (unattested), from Latin com- with + battuere to beat, hit

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Synonym Study

See fight

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Example Sentences

The Perfect Storm writer talks combat brotherhood and the threat posed by growing wealth inequality.

The State Innovation Exchange, a Democratic group, has been set up to combat corporate-led right-wing organizations.

From 2012 to 2013, 31 men left Aarhus bound for combat in Syria.

It was an attempt to combat a growing chill on free speech in Turkey while placing his newspaper at the center of the debate.

Excessive force to combat minor infractions of the law is the central issue today.

He looked strangely out of place in the dusty combat uniform.

The morning came and with it Shaffer, and with him five hundred and fifty men, eager for the combat.

Wright and his followers regard the opsonic index as an index of the power of the body to combat bacterial invasion.

But Strongarm lived in the age of combat when people fought animals at close range.

He demands from the king the gift of the first combat that shall offer, which is granted as a mere joke.

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Combaheecombatant