1
as in fights
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
a general eager to combat the enemy on his own ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opposes
to strive to reduce or eliminate
must marshal all of our resources to combat this disease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in actions
active fighting during the course of a war
a soldier who served throughout the war without actually seeing combat
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in skirmishes
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
the two stags entered a furious combat for dominance of the herd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in battles
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the fierce ideological combat between the religionists and the secularists
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combats
Christopher Elliott, Dallas Morning News, 28 Jan. 2026
The Last Gift Study, launched in 2017, combats that issue by conducting an autopsy immediately after a patient’s death.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Fit was prioritized on the upper, which combats wrinkles at the toe box and hosts a better lacing system and a new heel sling.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 5 Dec. 2025
Jasmine Crowe-Houston is the founder of Goodr, an organization that regularly combats food waste by collaborating with businesses, foundations, governments, and sports teams to provide high-quality food to local communities.
—Ronny Maye, Essence, 31 Oct. 2025
Nourish Up, an organization that combats hunger in Mecklenburg County through food banks, grocery delivery and the meals on wheels program, served 164,000 people in 2024 alone.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
The Joint Terrorism Task Force is a federal law enforcement organization that combats both domestic and international terrorism.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
Becca Israel, director of the Nexus Project, a nonprofit that combats antisemitism and promotes democracy, said the administration's actions send conflicting messages.
—Jason Derose, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025
Lately Rigel has seen big sales increases for a few of its drugs, notably Tavelisse, which combats a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its own blood platelets.
—John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
This combats dynamic pricing based on your search history, which could lead to higher fares.
—Christopher Elliott, Dallas Morning News, 28 Jan. 2026
The Last Gift Study, launched in 2017, combats that issue by conducting an autopsy immediately after a patient’s death.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Fit was prioritized on the upper, which combats wrinkles at the toe box and hosts a better lacing system and a new heel sling.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 5 Dec. 2025
Jasmine Crowe-Houston is the founder of Goodr, an organization that regularly combats food waste by collaborating with businesses, foundations, governments, and sports teams to provide high-quality food to local communities.
—Ronny Maye, Essence, 31 Oct. 2025
Nourish Up, an organization that combats hunger in Mecklenburg County through food banks, grocery delivery and the meals on wheels program, served 164,000 people in 2024 alone.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
The Joint Terrorism Task Force is a federal law enforcement organization that combats both domestic and international terrorism.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
Becca Israel, director of the Nexus Project, a nonprofit that combats antisemitism and promotes democracy, said the administration's actions send conflicting messages.
—Jason Derose, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025
Lately Rigel has seen big sales increases for a few of its drugs, notably Tavelisse, which combats a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its own blood platelets.
—John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
This proactive boundary setting manages stakeholder expectations, combats scope creep and forces ruthless focus on the absolute core, driving true agility over bloat.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combats
Verb
-
However, fights outside the dojo or a tournament were rare for Warren’s students.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Calpak Luka Mini Softside Carry-on feels more like a plush weekender than a spinner, and the Bagsmart Hardside Carry-on zips open clamshell-style and never fights me at TSA.—
Brandon Schultz,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Before that, the inspirational Moon opposes mending Chiron, stirring tender feelings around support, boundaries, and care.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Hamel is a member of the Franklin Park Defenders, a group that firmly opposes the stadium and wants a more affordable option.—
Riley Rourke,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Laporta’s last two actions as president before the election process were to renew Fermin’s contract until 2031 and abandon the European Super League project.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Jackson County alerted local schools to continue monitoring the issue, but law enforcement did not have probable cause to arrest or take other actions, according to the statement.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And while his 11 years with the Yankees were often marked with verbal skirmishes with George Steinbrenner, in 1982 the Boss showed his respect for Nettles’ baseball acumen and quiet clubhouse leadership to name him the first Yankee captain since Thurman Munson’s death in 1979.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
These were not skirmishes but full-scale conflicts, usually costing tens—sometimes hundreds—of thousands of lives.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
While earlier phases of the Bay-Delta plan have already been litigated, much of the recent focus has been on lengthy negotiations and revisions to the plan, rather than on launching new courtroom battles.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The beef, which started in 1999, has spawned almost three decades of diss tracks and battles in real life and on social media.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the extent of Epstein’s connections to seemingly countless powerful individuals in numerous fields, including media, validates the feeling that some Epstein obsessives have shared.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
But Gates’s agricultural holdings alone give him exposure to everything from corn and soy fields in the Midwest to potato operations in the Pacific Northwest, typically managed by professionals through his Cascade Investment vehicle.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Subsequent border clashes with Cambodia allowed Anutin to recast himself as a wartime leader after his popularity initially slipped because of floods and financial scandals.—
GRANT PECK,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Their goal with the video was to push back against the president’s domestic troop deployments, a trend his critics feared might lead to clashes with ordinary Americans or be used to interfere in upcoming elections.—
Missy Ryan,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As a 10-time world champion who’s entering her fifth, and final, Winter Olympics, American hockey star Hilary Knight, 35, has played a key role in energizing one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The sport was built on rivalries.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combats. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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