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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Analysts said the attack and its focus on civilians could backfire.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
13 Mar. 2025
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The attack starts with hackers uploading what looks like a harmless extension to the Chrome Web Store.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Military bloggers from both sides say Ukraine is on the back foot, while Ukraine’s army says Russian forces used a gas pipeline to launch a surprise raid in one area.—
Maria Kostenko, Christian Edwards and Sophie Tanno,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
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In separate raids on Crimean anchorages in February, May and June 2024, the USVs sank a corvette, a landing ship, a patrol boat and a tugboat.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The source of the misunderstanding appears to be a map in the 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac that incorrectly states that Maryland can expect an onslaught of Brood XIV (14) cicadas this year.—
Mary Carole McCauley,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2025
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Gascón, the first openly trans actor to be nominated for an Academy Award, faced an onslaught of backlash after old social media posts about George Floyd and Islam came to light.—
Tracy Wright,
Fox News,
9 Mar. 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
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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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Meanwhile, Israel has slowly increased its military strikes in Gaza.—
Aya Batrawy,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2025
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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,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Such an international force would aim to dissuade Russia from launching another offensive after any cease-fire in Ukraine comes into effect.—
John Leicester,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2025
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Israel's military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't say how many of the dead were militants.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Oklahoma City Thunder clinched a spot in the NBA Playoffs after beating the Boston Celtics 118-112 Wednesday in a thrilling game defined by physicality and Boston’s unrelenting dedication to shooting the 3, setting a franchise record with 63 attempts.—
Jay King,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
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The one-time All-Star made three rehab appearances last season in an attempt to return for the postseason.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Robert jump-started the Sox offense Monday against the Athletics, hitting a home run in the first inning.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
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Next, the Black Knights offense was rounded out by three additional teammates in double digits, Emely Rodriguez (15 points, 8 rebounds), Khyala Ngodu (12 points, 8 rebounds), and Achol Akot (10 points, 8 rebounds).—
Allison Smith,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
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