as in soldier
a person, group, or country that fights in a war or battle
Britain was a major combatant in World War II.
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Recent Examples of combatant
The Evil Dead is of course the horror comedy franchise created by Raimi, going back to 1981’s same-name film starring Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, a combatant of various supernatural entities.
—
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2026
Growing evidence shows regional powers like the United Arab Emirates backing combatants behind the scenes.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Iran has said that combatants in the war against it would remain blocked from passing through.
—Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 12 Apr. 2026
The indictment alleged Smyles and Brooks allowed up to nine combatants to engage in fights that occurred at least five times over the six-month period.
—Jason Henry, Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combatant
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2026
Growing evidence shows regional powers like the United Arab Emirates backing combatants behind the scenes.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Iran has said that combatants in the war against it would remain blocked from passing through.
—Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 12 Apr. 2026
The indictment alleged Smyles and Brooks allowed up to nine combatants to engage in fights that occurred at least five times over the six-month period.
—Jason Henry, Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combatant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatant
Noun
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In a 1916 study, Navy soldiers seemed to better learn Morse code when it was played overnight.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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Ryan shot back, quoting a soldier from the CBS report, that telling the truth is important.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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State-of-the-art drones, and the technology needed to intercept them, have become as important to national weapons arsenals as missiles, Patriot systems, fighter jets, and warships.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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The teens were also said to have been involved in online groups recruiting fighters for IS militants in Syria and shared a fascination with violence and hatred against Jews, LGBTQ+ people and others, officials said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The industry first broke into my social circle, in Shanghai, in January, when a German filmmaker friend was hired to join a set in Xi’an, the ancient capital known for its terra-cotta warriors.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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Even Dan Patrick, hardly a culture warrior, argued that point last year.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Because the incident spanned two jurisdictions, Pennsylvania State Police troopers from the Butler barracks have been called to take over the investigation.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
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The trooper’s unmarked cruiser crossed a double yellow line in Woburn and struck Schettino’s vehicle.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatant. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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