English Reference

Word

combination

Phoneticscom·bi·na·tion

US/ˌkɑmbəˈneɪʃən/

UK/kˌɒmbɪnˈeɪʃən/

Definitions

01a mixture or blend

B1

n. two or more things joined or mixed together to create something new.

n. the result of combining two or more distinct elements into a single entity or mixture.

“The chef created a delicious combination of sweet and spicy flavours.”

“The success of the project was due to a unique combination of technical expertise and creative vision within the leadership team.”

02a lock code

B1

n. the secret series of numbers or letters used to open a lock.

n. a specific sequence of characters or numbers required to operate a combination lock.

“I can never remember the combination to my gym locker.”

“The safe requires a six-digit combination that is changed every month to ensure maximum security for the documents inside.”

Synonyms

03mathematical selection

C1 · Math

n. a group of items chosen from a larger set where the order does not matter.

n. a selection of members from a total population where the order of selection is not a distinguishing factor.

“In this card game, the order of the cards in your hand is a combination.”

“The students were asked to calculate the number of possible combinations when choosing three representatives from a class of thirty.”

Technical

Usage

Often contrasted with 'permutation', where the order of items does matter.

Synonyms

Antonyms

permutation

04sports sequence

B2 · Sport

n. a series of quick moves or hits performed one after another.

n. a rapid succession of coordinated strikes or tactical moves in sports such as boxing or chess.

“The boxer won the match after landing a powerful three-punch combination.”

“The grandmaster executed a brilliant combination that forced his opponent to sacrifice a queen to avoid immediate checkmate.”

Synonyms

05an alliance

C1

n. a group of people or companies working together for a specific goal.

n. an association or alliance of individuals or entities formed for a common purpose.

“The two companies formed a powerful combination in the tech industry.”

“The political combination of several smaller parties proved strong enough to challenge the ruling government during the autumn elections.”

Formal

Real-World Examples

“All over social media, women are claiming that a simple hack has helped enormously: a combination of two over-the-counter medications, both antihistamines – typically, the name brands Pepcid AC and Allegra.”
The Guardian · 14 Aug 2026
“The big appeal is the combination of price and attacking potential.”
BBC News · 14 Aug 2026
“Combination vaccines protect children with fewer shots, and in turn, require fewer appointments.”
The Guardian · 13 Aug 2026

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English combinacioun, combynacyoun, from Old French combination, from Late Latin combīnātiō. Morphologically combine + -ation.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Collocations

combination of technicalcomplex combinationlinear combinationoptimal combinationparticular combinationpossible combinationspecific combinationvarious combination

Word family

Domain

Mathematics

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/combination

English Reference