combatant

noun

com·​bat·​ant kəm-ˈba-tᵊnt How to pronounce combatant (audio)
 also  ˈkäm-bə-tənt
Synonyms of combatantnext
: one that is engaged in or ready to engage in combat
combatant adjective

Examples of combatant in a Sentence

Britain was a main combatant in World War II.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Israel’s military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. — Mohammad Jahjouh, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025 The military has killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. — Mick Krever, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025 Israel’s military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. — Wafaa Shurafa, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025 By statute, anyone picked to be the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is supposed to have served as a combatant commander, as the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or as the top uniformed officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Space Force. — Eric Schmitt, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for combatant

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of combatant was in the 15th century

Rhymes for combatant

See All Rhymes for combatant

Browse Nearby Words

combatant
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Cite this Entry

“Combatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combatant. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

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combatant

noun
com·​bat·​ant kəm-ˈbat-ᵊnt How to pronounce combatant (audio)
 also  ˈkäm-bət-
: one that is engaged in or ready to engage in combat
combatant adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on combatant

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for combatant

Nglish: Translation of combatant for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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