as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
the Continental Army's attack on the British-Hessian encampment at Trenton, New Jersey, ranks as one of the most brilliant coups de main of the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 coup de main
Ryan Reynolds walked arm in arm with Blake Lively, and there were polite air-kisses and an appearance by Martha Stewart—but like the film’s coup de main, the night was filled with surprises.
—
Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2018
Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coup de main
Noun
-
Loading your audio article An unhinged attacker slashed a man and a woman in back-to-back unprovoked knife attacks in Grand Central Station, police said Wednesday.Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 25 Dec. 2024
-
Since then, she has only been seen on very rare occasions, the most important in the royal calendar—Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Day—but also the dearest to her heart—the Wimbledon final and an event to support the families of victims of an attack in Southport.La rédaction de Vanity Fair, Glamour, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The recent raid of a woman’s Tennessee home, where more than 300 vials fake weight loss drugs were found, sheds light on a growing concern across the country as the black market for such medicines explodes.Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 18 Dec. 2024
-
The raid drove polygamy in fundamentalist Mormon communities further underground and allowed people like Warren Jeffs to rally followers by using their fear of the government.Jeremy Duda, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
There would still be an ongoing onslaught of private interests the same way that John Dutton experienced it.Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Dec. 2024
-
But experts say people need to be prepared for an onslaught of activity and take precautions.Susan Tompor, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Beijing has also softened its regulatory assault on Chinese technology companies and the property sector.Jacky Wong, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023
-
Zelenskyy has warned for weeks that Moscow aims to step up its assault after about two months of virtual stalemate along the front line that stretches across the south and east.Reuters, NBC News, 31 Jan. 2023
Noun
-
The strikes showcased the asymmetry in the two countries’ military capabilities: Iran launched many missiles with limited results, but the IDF accurately hit high-value targets, including Iran’s S-300 antiaircraft systems and a nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin.Amos Yadlin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Dec. 2024
-
Over its two seasons, the series’ production was halted several times, due to Covid, star Bridges’ cancer treatment and the 2023 strikes.Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
That the pickup-and-sedan assault failed doesn’t mean the overall Russian offensive will fail.David Axe, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
-
But Israel's military plans for a major offensive in Gaza may reshape the course of the conflict, depending on the outcome of talks and possible further hostilities.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Mangione methodically planned the killing for months in an attempt to spark debate over insurance industry practices, federal prosecutors said in a statement.John Bacon, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
-
The Chargers watch the film of the attempt every week during special teams meetings.Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
In his state case, Mangione is accused of first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism — which carries a maximum prison term of life without parole — and nine other offenses.John Annese, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers leads an offense that features receivers Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall.Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near coup de main
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share