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.
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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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The attack triggered a shutdown of parts of Change Healthcare’s electronic system, leaving doctors and other providers of medical care without the ability to get insurance approval of patient services.Bruce Japsen, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
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Other Republicans in attendance included Mr. Bush and Mike Pence, who was Mr. Trump’s vice president during his first term and was the target of rioters during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.Neil Vigdor, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2025
Noun
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While the officers denied it, Knight and his brother told the court that police had beaten Knight during the raid, leaving him bleeding from the side of his mouth.Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
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In an email exchange from February 2011, a soldier told a senior officer of a raid in which a lone Afghan fighter, ordered to go back inside a building, returned with a weapon, even though he was heavily outnumbered.Mark Landler, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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New York City and environs will be mostly spared the onslaught that is barreling east from the Midwest and set to hit the Mid-Atlantic states Sunday night, including Washington DC.Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2025
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The deadly onslaught raised questions about future high-profile events in New Orleans, most notably the Super Bowl, which is set for Feb. 9 at the Superdome.Jesse Kirsch, NBC News, 3 Jan. 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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His columns, written until his death in 1892, variously address suffrage, journalistic ethics, strikes and anarchism, and the inner workings of presidential nominating conventions.Christopher Carroll, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
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Israel assassinated a top commander of Iran’s Quds Force, in Damascus, and that set off a whole chain of events which led to the first ever Iranian strike on Israel and then Israel’s response.Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Trump could continue a charm offensive to try and get his way.Matt Galka, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
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Since the swift rebel offensive that ousted Assad a month ago, Arab and Western nations that had severed ties with his regime have begun reestablishing diplomatic relations with Syria's new de facto authorities.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Ignoring last season, due to the aforementioned injury issues, LaVine's 16.6 shot attempts per night this season ranks as the second-lowest output for him during his Bulls career.Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
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Wade’s legal attempt to extend his eligibility via challenging Bylaw 12.8 is not a first-of-its kind.Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Reds still have plenty of questions about their offense.C. Trent Rosecrans, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
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Does McVay see a lot of the Rams’ offense in O’Connell’s Vikings?Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
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 18 Jan. 2025.
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