combatants

noun

plural of combatant
as in soldiers
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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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 combatants Former combatants seek to return to civilian life At Mekelle’s Tigray Martyrs’ Memorial Monument, former fighters lined up to register with the authorities, some carrying papers or sheltering under umbrellas. — Khaled Kazziha, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 No other branch’s members prioritize their role as combatants in an ideological battle — in this case, over what a documentary should be. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 During that time, military advisers from Hezbollah and Iran helped train Houthi commanders and combatants — and built up the group's ability to manufacture its own weapons, including drones and missiles, according to analysts. — Dov Lieber, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 The New Orleans Saints (1-2) and the Atlanta Falcons (1-2) — two NFC South combatants — meet on Monday, October 5, 2026 at Caesars Superdome. — Data Skrive, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2026 Akhtar the author, though, is conducting a stealthy psyop aimed at detonating the certainties of combatants on both sides. — Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026 Major combatants The three major belligerents in the Rhodesian Bush War were the Rhodesian security forces, ZANLA, and ZIPRA. — Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026 The main combatants are Ethiopian federal troops and fighters loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, an armed political group in Tigray, Ethiopia's northernmost regional state. — Samuel Getachew, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026 The main combatants are Ethiopian federal troops and fighters loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, an armed political group in Tigray, Ethiopia's northernmost regional state. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combatants
  1. soldiers
  2. fighters
  3. troopers
  4. warriors
Noun
  • Our soldiers, who have been on the front line for weeks and months, are being delivered food and water using appropriate drones with Starlink.
    — Kristin Wright, NPR, 18 Oct. 2026
  • An Army officer who fought with his superiors for his soldiers’ safety.
    — Washington Post readers, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of soldiers
Noun
  • Both Chun-Li and her boss have ulterior motives, Bison seeking to exploit the fighters’ powers for his own nefarious end and Chun-Li secretly an Interpol agent seeking to take Bison down for having murdered her father.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
  • What started as a capture and extraction mission turned into hell on Earth after multiple helicopters were hit by Somalia fighters.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of fighters
Noun
  • Colorado State Patrol troopers say not only are some drivers being charged for one DUI, but troopers are seeing issues where the same driver is getting more than one DUI.
    — Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Both the Chevrolet and Panzica came to rest in the right shoulder, according to troopers.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of troopers
Noun
  • In other cases, the warriors look unrecognizable, and more like odd scribbles.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Her most poignant work centers around the female nomadic warriors.
    — Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of warriors

Browse Nearby Words

combatant
combatants
combated
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Cite this Entry

“Combatants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combatants. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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