combat and fighting share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. combat means “an engagement fought between two military forces”. fighting means “the act of fighting; any contest or struggle”. fighting is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkɑmbæt/
1.n.an engagement fought between two military forces
2.n.the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
“a fight broke out at the hockey game”
3.v.battle or contend against in or as if in a battle
“The Kurds are combating Iraqi troops in Northern Iraq”
/ˈfaɪtɪŋ/
1.n.the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
“a fight broke out at the hockey game”
2.adj.engaged in or ready for military or naval operations
“on active duty”
| combat | fighting | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɑmbæt/ | /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/ |
| Said | KAHM-bat | FAHY-ting |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 6 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun, adjective |
| Senses | 3 | 2 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | armed combat | fight, combat, scrap |
Full entry for combat · Full entry for fighting · More comparisons