combat zone

1. An area where military combat is taking place.

2. Slang An area in a city characterized by economic depression and criminal activity: "a combat zone rife with condemned buildings used by drunks, addicts, and prostitutes" (Edwin Chen).

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

combat zone

1. That area required by combat forces for the conduct of operations.
2. The territory forward of the Army rear area boundary. See also combat area; communications zone.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	combat zone - a city district known for its vice and high crime rate tenderloin city district - a district of a town or city
	2.	combat zone - a military area where combat forces operate combat area armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" zone - an area or region distinguished from adjacent parts by a distinctive feature or characteristic field of operations, theater of operations, theatre of operations, theatre, theater, field - a region in which active military operations are in progress; "the army was in the field awaiting action"; "he served in the Vietnam theater for three years" war zone - a combat zone where military operations are coordinated (especially a designated area in international waters where the rights of neutrals are not respected by nations at war) bridgehead, foothold - an area in hostile territory that has been captured and is held awaiting further troops and supplies; "an attempt to secure a bridgehead behind enemy lines"; "the only foothold left for British troops in Europe was Gibraltar"