ENGLISH
REFERENCE

combating

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //kəmˈbætɪŋ// UK //kˈɒmbætɪŋ// com·bat·ing

v. taking action to stop something bad from happening or getting worse. You use it when talking about fighting problems like crime, disease, or climate change.

v. taking active steps to reduce, stop, or defeat something harmful. Present participle of 'combat'; functions as the head of a verb phrase or as a gerund.


SIMPLE

The government is combating rising inflation with new laws.

CONTEXTUAL

Scientists are currently combating the spread of the virus by developing more effective vaccines and treatments.

COMPLEX

Successfully combating systemic poverty requires more than just financial aid; it demands a comprehensive restructuring of educational and social support systems to ensure long-term stability for the most vulnerable populations.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object representing the problem or opponent being fought.

Pitfall

combating against the problemcombating the problemCombat is a transitive verb; it does not take the preposition 'against' like the verb 'fight' sometimes does.

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