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
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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
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From 21 March on, the gang launched attacks against several areas in the communes of Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite and Marchand Dessalines.—
Jacqueline Charles
July 11,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
-
In one attack in late January, Russian drones hit an apartment complex in an overnight attack, killing nine people and injuring 13.—
Joanna Kakissis,
NPR,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Newsweek has revealed dozens of cases involving green card holders and applicants who were swept up in the ICE raids.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
-
In one raid, federal agents detained people at a bus stop at Orange Grove Boulevard and Los Robles Avenue on June 18.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 July 2025
Noun
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The show issued a similar warning to viewers last year before the season six reunion as contestants had received an onslaught of online criticism.—
Conor Murray,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
Miller and his platoon not only survive the onslaught in Normandy, but they are tasked with the unthinkable.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
Noun
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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
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Israel’s parallel October strike on Iran succeeded in destroying Iran’s air defense architecture, leaving its nuclear facilities exposed.—
Ilan Berman,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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What begins as a quiet rebellion erupts into a viral citywide strike, culminating in a daring heist.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Noun
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And then there is fellow Californian Stephen Miller, the architect of Trump’s immigration offensive.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 July 2025
-
Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which is led by medical professionals employed by the Hamas government.—
WAFAA SHURAFA,
arkansasonline.com,
6 July 2025
Noun
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James buried his first attempt over Flagg, and then hit a 3-pointer after the 6-foot-8 Flagg missed his second attempt to give the Lakers a 5-0 lead.—
Staff,
Oc Register,
11 July 2025
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Mohn also went to a National Guard training camp after beheading his father in an attempt to mobilize troops against the federal government, the Bucks County's district attorney said.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Many of those are traffic, immigration or nonviolent vice offenses.—
Bob Kustra,
Chicago Tribune,
6 July 2025
-
He was never known for his offense, but recorded a plus-25 outs above average since 2016, which is when Baseball Savant started tracking data.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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