# combinatorial

CEFR C2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/combinatorial
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Synonyms

combinatory, permutational

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.