noun
combat
KOM-bat
noun
1
Fighting between armed opponents, especially as part of a war.
"Many soldiers struggle with what they witnessed in combat."
"The unit saw heavy combat during the first week of the invasion."
verb
1
To actively fight against or work to reduce something harmful.
"The city launched a new program to combat homelessness."
"Doctors recommend exercise to combat high blood pressure."
How to Use Combat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAs a noun, armed fighting; as a verb, to fight against something, including abstract problems like disease or crime.
Common pairings
hand-to-hand combat
combat a disease
combat zone
combat troops
Word Forms
combated past tense, combatted past tense, combats plural, combats singular
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Etymology
Borrowed in the 16th century from Middle French combat, from Old French combatre, ultimately from Latin com- ("together") + battuere ("to beat, strike").