Word
combinatorial
Phoneticscom·bi·na·to·ri·al
Definition
adj. connected with the different ways you can mix, order, or choose a set of things. You see it in maths problems about counting all the possible groups.
adj. relating to the selection, arrangement, or counting of discrete items in all possible combinations. Common in mathematics and computer science for problems where the number of possibilities grows rapidly with input size.
Examples
“The game has many combinatorial choices for players.”
“The software tests all combinatorial pairings of settings to find bugs before release.”
“Designing the delivery routes became a combinatorial challenge, as each new stop multiplied the possible orders far beyond what manual planning could handle.”
Examples
simple
“The game has many combinatorial choices for players.”
contextual
“The software tests all combinatorial pairings of settings to find bugs before release.”
complex
“Designing the delivery routes became a combinatorial challenge, as each new stop multiplied the possible orders far beyond what manual planning could handle.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “combinatorial” in context.
Verb
01. be combinatorial
“At its heart, the routing challenge is combinatorial.”
verb + adj
02. become combinatorial
“The task quickly becomes combinatorial as more variables are added.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. essentially combinatorial
“Chess openings are essentially combinatorial, with vast numbers of possible move orders.”
adv + adj
Noun
04. combinatorial argument
“She gave an elegant combinatorial argument to count the committees.”
adj + noun
05. combinatorial complexity
“Researchers analysed the combinatorial complexity of the board game.”
adj + noun
06. combinatorial design
“The course covers balanced combinatorial designs for experiments.”
adj + noun
07. combinatorial explosion
“Adding just ten cities causes a combinatorial explosion in possible routes.”
adj + noun
08. combinatorial optimization
“Airline scheduling relies on advanced combinatorial optimization techniques.”
adj + noun
09. combinatorial problem
“Sudoku is a classic combinatorial problem taught in discrete mathematics.”
adj + noun
10. combinatorial proof
“The textbook presents a short combinatorial proof of the identity.”
adj + noun
11. combinatorial search
“The software uses combinatorial search to find the best solution.”
adj + noun
12. avoid a combinatorial explosion
“Good pruning helps avoid a combinatorial explosion during search.”
Synonyms
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domain
- 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.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL 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: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/combinatorial