Word
combat
Phoneticscom·bat, stress on the first syllable
/ˈkɑmbæt/
Definitions
01fighting in war
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. fighting between two groups, especially in a war.
n. active physical fighting between opposing forces, typically within the context of armed conflict or warfare.
日本語:戦闘※
“The soldiers were trained for hand-to-hand combat before being sent to the front.”
“The infantry unit saw intense combat during the first week of the offensive, suffering significant casualties before securing the ridge.”
02a struggle
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. a fight or struggle to achieve something or to stop something bad.
n. a struggle or contest for victory or superiority over an opponent or obstacle.
日本語:闘争※
“The election was a fierce combat between two very different political ideas.”
“The legal proceedings evolved into a prolonged combat of wills between the corporate lawyers and the environmental activists.”
Antonyms
03to fight against
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to try to stop something bad from happening or getting worse.
v. to take action to reduce or prevent something undesirable or harmful.
“The government is introducing new laws to combat climate change.”
“Public health officials are working tirelessly to combat the spread of the virus through widespread vaccination and education.”
Usage
This verb is transitive and takes a direct object representing the problem being addressed.
Teaching tip
In modern English, this sense is very common in news reports regarding social or environmental issues.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “combat” in context.
Verb
01. engage in combat
“The infantry was ordered not to engage in combat unless they were fired upon first.”
verb + prep + noun
02. see combat
“Many of the young recruits had never seen combat before the winter offensive.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. armed combat
“The soldiers were highly trained in various forms of armed combat.”
adj + noun
04. hand-to-hand combat
“The special forces unit specialized in hand-to-hand combat for urban environments.”
adj + noun
05. mortal combat
“The two warriors were locked in mortal combat until one finally surrendered.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. combat fatigue
“After months on the front lines, several officers began showing signs of combat fatigue.”
noun + noun
07. combat zone
“Journalists entering the combat zone were required to wear protective gear at all times.”
noun + noun
Preposition
08. in combat
“He was decorated for the bravery he displayed while in combat.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Gen Bagherzadeh said the three pilots had been captured by Qatar after they ejected from their jets during the combat mission on a Qatari military base.” “Critics of the police and tougher bail and sentencing laws to combat violent crime have two approaches to the release of annual statistics on crime.” Etymology
16th century, borrowed from Middle French combat, deverbal from Old French combatre, from Vulgar Latin *combattere, from Latin com- (“with”) + battuere (“to beat, strike”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/combat
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0