COMBAT Synonyms: 175 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'combat' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of combat are oppose , resist , and withstand . While all these words mean "to set oneself against someone or something," combat stresses the forceful or urgent countering of something. // combat disease

Q: Where would 'oppose' be a reasonable alternative to 'combat'?

In some situations, the words oppose and combat are roughly equivalent. However, oppose can apply to any conflict, from mere objection to bitter hostility or warfare. // opposed the plan

Q: When can 'resist' be used instead of 'combat'?

The words resist and combat can be used in similar contexts, but resist implies an overt recognition of a hostile or threatening force and a positive effort to counteract or repel it. // resisting temptation

Q: In what contexts can 'withstand' take the place of 'combat'?

The words withstand and combat are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, withstand suggests a more passive resistance. // trying to withstand peer pressure

combat 1 of 2

verb

kəm-ˈbat

Definition of combat next

as in to fight

to oppose (someone) in physical conflict a general eager to combat the enemy on his own ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to oppose

to strive to reduce or eliminate must marshal all of our resources to combat this disease

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

combat

2 of 2

noun

ˈkäm-ˌbat

as in field

active fighting during the course of a war a soldier who served throughout the war without actually seeing combat

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in skirmish

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

truce

as in battle

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb combat differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of combat are oppose, resist, and withstand. While all these words mean "to set oneself against someone or something," combat stresses the forceful or urgent countering of something.

combat disease

Where would oppose be a reasonable alternative to combat?

In some situations, the words oppose and combat are roughly equivalent. However, oppose can apply to any conflict, from mere objection to bitter hostility or warfare.

opposed the plan

When can resist be used instead of combat?

The words resist and combat can be used in similar contexts, but resist implies an overt recognition of a hostile or threatening force and a positive effort to counteract or repel it.

resisting temptation

In what contexts can withstand take the place of combat?

The words withstand and combat are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, withstand suggests a more passive resistance.

trying to withstand peer pressure

Examples of combat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Iraq’s Higher Military Commission had aimed to propose an end date for Operation Inherent Resolve, the US military operation combatting terror group ISIS. —

Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN, 15 Aug. 2024 Alternate attacks Repeatedly purchasing ineffective products, combined with the inherent difficulty of combatting a roach infestation in an apartment building can leave a lot of people feeling like cockroaches are an impossible problem to solve. —

Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2024

Noun

The coat and pants, worn tucked into Doc Marten combat boots, are patterned with what looks like X-Ray scans. —

Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 11 Sep. 2024 And as of today, there is not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world, the first time this century. —

Maya Marchel Hoff, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for combat

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'combat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Cite this Entry

Style

“Combat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combat. Accessed 16 Sep. 2024.

Copy Citation

Last Updated: 5 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

nebula

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Synonyms of combat

verb

noun

Synonym Chooser

Examples of combat in a Sentence

Thesaurus Entries Near combat

Cite this Entry