COMBATS Synonyms: 179 Similar and Opposite Words

combats 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of combat

as in fights

to oppose (someone) in physical conflict a general eager to combat the enemy on his own ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in opposes

to strive to reduce or eliminate must marshal all of our resources to combat this disease

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

combats

2 of 2

noun

plural of combat

as in actions

active fighting during the course of a war a soldier who served throughout the war without actually seeing combat

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in skirmishes

a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups the two stags entered a furious combat for dominance of the herd

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

truces

as in battles

an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another the fierce ideological combat between the religionists and the secularists

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of combats

Verb

FinCEN is the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which combats money laundering, illicit financial activities and terrorist financing networks around the world. — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026 How Wisconsin combats loneliness Sampson said re-establishing connection to other people can often be a trial-and-error process. — Caden Perry, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2026 This also delivers intense hydration and barrier support that combats thin, dry, crepey skin. — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 7 Sep. 2026 The Chinese government firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The Fed typically combats inflation by raising its benchmark interest rate to slow borrowing and spending and cool the economy. — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Zuckerberg also published a lengthy manifesto laying out his vision and approach to AI, attempting to assuage wide-ranging concerns about AI as the company combats criticisms about its data center buildout and AI smart glasses. — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 One of the ways Landers combats this tendency is to be radically transparent. — Mark C. Perna, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Whereas Kiana Murden, Vogue’s beauty shopping editor, says the perfect SPF is one that’s both lightweight and combats oily, prone skin. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 17 July 2026

Noun

It’s formulated with an 8 percent concentration of mandelic acid, an ingredient that decongests pores, combats existing and prevents new blemishes, evens out tone, and plumps wrinkles. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 2 Sep. 2026 His ability to reset and stay attached combats longer, more powerful opponents. — Daniel Popper, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 Bodies in motion are intercut with a bespoke gun factory’s grinding gears; human combats are juxtaposed with VR imagery or first-person shooter games. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026 This proactive boundary setting manages stakeholder expectations, combats scope creep and forces ruthless focus on the absolute core, driving true agility over bloat. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for combats

Verb

Thomas superspeeds Katerina to safety and Vision fights Butcherbird, but Butcherbird is faster and stronger.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Water shortages do not often get attention from state lawmakers, and fights over resources can pit rural landowners against cities.

— Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of fights

Verb

Her husband, Dave Flint, 60, a former Republican who opposes Trump and now votes for Democrats, lamented that an issue affecting so few people has become such a national controversy.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Brittany Stonesifer is a voting rights attorney at Common Cause California, which opposes the measure.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of opposes

Noun

Three outside law professors who reviewed the materials at the request of The Post said West Point's actions appear to violate the order issued by Judge Cathy Seibel in September that ended a lawsuit filed by a civilian professor at the academy.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Behind the scenes, Muse uses a collection of digital notes and instructions to guide its personality, actions and memory, all of which can be reviewed, edited and deleted.

— Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of actions

Noun

This leads to even more behind-the-scenes skirmishes laced with character-centric comedy, as opposing factions align.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Ties between the two countries remain strained over their long-running Himalayan border dispute, which erupted into a deadly skirmishes in 2020 that saw soldiers from both sides use rocks and iron rods in brutal hand-to-hand combat.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of skirmishes

Noun

Known for risque stand-up comedy routines and battles with drugs and alcohol, Brand rose to prominence in the early 2000s, hosting television programs and his own BBC radio show.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Use it for dry skin, dry lips, dry cuticles, scars from cabaret battles.

— Lindy Segal, Glamour, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of battles

Noun

Users can create forms or complete existing ones using text fields, checkboxes, and other elements.

— StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
As Reclamation District 108 leaves some fields dry, the goal will be to move a levee back so the river can spread out, restoring a natural floodplain, Bair said.

— Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of fields

Noun

Likewise, the student protests over the weekend expanded from education to other grievances — and featured dramatic scenes of looting and clashes with police.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
The unrest, fueled by anger over living costs and poor school conditions, included arson, clashes with police and looting; officials say curfews will continue where needed.

— Tom Nouvian, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of clashes

Noun

To reestablish and preserve traditional rivalries and eliminate cross-country travel demands, restore conference alignments to their original geographical moorings.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
But the Tigers have the clear advantage on paper, even as rivalries can bring out unorthodox circumstances.

— PJ Green October 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of rivalries

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combativeness

combats

combe

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Style

“Combats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combats. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of combats

verb

noun

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