English pronunciation · Words Starting with C
Combative Pronunciation
Combative is pronounced kuhm-BA-tiv, IPA /ˌkɑmˈbæˌtɪv/.
kuhm-BA-tiv
US /ˌkɑmˈbæˌtɪv/ · UK /ˈkɒmbəˌtɪv/
Syllables: kuhm · BA · tiv (3 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
adjective: Ready or eager to fight or argue.
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Combative in a Sentence
- He turned combative as soon as the figures came up.
- A combative tone will not help the negotiation.
- She is combative in debate and gentle everywhere else.
Common Mispronunciations of Combative
Not kuhm-BAY-tiv
The a in the middle stays short, matching bat rather than bait. Combat keeps that short value too.
Not KOHM-buh-tiv
No long oh belongs in the first beat. The spelling comb is a coincidence of letters and has nothing to do with the thing you tidy hair with.
Tip: Both kuhm-BA-tiv and KAHM-buh-tiv are listed in dictionaries, the first more common in Britain and the second gaining ground in America.
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