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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Northwestern didn’t let Johns Hopkins’ comeback attack get any closer though.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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Those attacks have also threatened its image as a glamorous haven for tourists to the Middle East.—
Amy Gunia,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Noun
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When the Kurdish forces started to falter in the assault, Wheeler stepped up and took charge of the situation in order to turn the tide.—
David Hookstead OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
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His latest book tells the story of the censorship of art and the assault against the National Endowment for the Arts in the late 20th century.—
Michael Schaub,
Oc Register,
25 May 2026
Noun
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Many of the targets for these cases came from raids on distributors who had sold the access cards and bootloaders.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2026
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Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio conducted high-profile raids in Latino communities and, later, the state saw large influxes of migrants during the Biden administration.—
Rebecca Santana,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2026
Noun
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It was captured by Russian forces in the early months of the offensive in 2022.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
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Kalshi is mounting its own offensive, launching an ad campaign and lobbying effort, seeking to distinguish itself from Polymarket and defend itself against allegations.—
Eric Rosenbaum,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Noun
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The sophomore midfielder can pass and score with either foot and is equally proficient at playing offense or defense.—
Matt Le Cren,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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The Dodgers’ offense, in contrast to the Brewers’, didn’t record a hit off Brewers starter Logan Henderson until the fourth inning.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
Noun
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This teaching is more urgent now because of tech-heavy medicine and the coming onslaught of AI in patient care.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
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That acknowledgement sparked an onslaught of questions that will likely rest on when Hoskins, a Republican and staunch supporter of the map, decides whether the campaign can reach the ballot.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The April 8th strikes ravaged a range of sites across the country.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
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Paz’s termination of a popular but fiscally unsustainable fuel subsidy and other austerity measures triggered strikes earlier this month, which escalated into a coordinated effort from the Bolivian Workers’ Central, peasant unions, and miners to paralyze the country.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
20 May 2026
Noun
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In Game 1, Montreal exploited that aggression, too quickly breaking the forecheck and starting the transition game, too frequently slipping past the Hurricanes’ defensemen for odd-man rushes.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
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Historically, in situations involving large numbers of dogs, rescue teams have reported the animals to be agitated, stressed and fearful of human interaction (resulting in shyness or aggression).—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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