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
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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
-
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
-
But then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin repudiated the deal, saying a decision on the death penalty in an attack as grave as Sept. 11 should only be made by the defense secretary.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
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
-
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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The majority of these strikes happen during the summer, causing around 20 fatalities each year, according to the NWS.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
-
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
-
Beginning in late July 1942, in an apparent attempt to resolve some of these questions, a new version of the policy appeared.—
Tracy Slater
July 10,
Literary Hub,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
In February 2024, as part of a plea agreement, Quantrell pleaded guilty to fleeing or eluding police with a vehicle, second-degree recklessly endangering safety and operating while intoxicated, second offense.—
Alec Johnson,
jsonline.com,
15 July 2025
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Currently, Russia is making modest gains against Ukraine and may soon seek to leverage those advances to launch additional offenses in the eastern reach of the country, according to a recent assessment from the Institute of the Study of War.—
Shannon K. Kingston,
ABC News,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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