combater

Senses

1. 1.

   to fight, to combat

   to engage in battle or struggle against an enemy or opponent

2. 2.

   to fight against, to combat

   to work actively to reduce, prevent, or eliminate something harmful (disease, crime, poverty, etc.)

3. 3.

   to oppose, to resist

   to act in opposition to ideas, policies, or actions

Examples

• "Os bombeiros combateram o incêndio durante horas."

  The firefighters fought the fire for hours.

• "O governo lançou uma campanha para combater a dengue."

  The government launched a campaign to combat dengue.

• "É preciso combater a desigualdade social no país."

  We need to fight social inequality in the country.

Usage

Regular -er verb. Very common in formal and journalistic registers, especially when discussing social issues, public health, or policy. Often collocates with: combater o crime (fight crime), combater a corrupção (fight corruption), combater doenças (fight diseases). The noun form is "combate" (combat, fight).