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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
In March, two days of U.S. attacks killed more than 50 people, Houthi officials said.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Three decades later, the documentary Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror looks back on that day, featuring interviews with law enforcement involved in the case and victims of the attack.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Pakistan responded by aerial raids, downed an Indian military aircraft and captured an Indian pilot, who was later released.—
Time,
Time,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Initially, authorities said Darlene Carey simply granted them access to the residence, thus justifying the raid that uncovered the guns.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The onslaught has been so extensive that the United States now has its highest average tariff rate in over a century − and more seem on the way.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
-
When two of the men turn and run, Tommy’s left with one other man to defend against the onslaught as the people on the rooftops fire into the street and the non-combatants cower inside.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Putin acknowledged that recent Russian strikes had hit civilian facilities in Ukraine, but claimed that they were being used for military purposes.—
Ross Adkin,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2025
-
For Season 2, the dual Hollywood strikes in 2023 meant the showrunner had to step away from the show for five months.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Israel’s offensive has killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2025
-
Next, the Bears traded down from No. 41 — the ninth pick in the round — in a deal with the Buffalo Bills that netted them two late-second-round picks (Nos. 56 and 62), which turned into Boston College offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Automakers could be compensated for previous tariff payments as Trump attempts to pull back on fierce tariffs.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
-
But many of those attempts are facing legal challenges that have delayed or reversed firings.—
John Kelly, Nancy Cordes,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Mangione entered the not guilty plea during an arraignment on April 25 that came after a federal grand jury indicted him on four charges, including two counts of stalking, a weapons offense and murder through the use of a firearm.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
-
The Chargers took the former North Carolina running back with the 22nd pick in the NFL draft on Thursday, adding another weapon to an offense that is hoping to solidify its reputation for physicality in coach Jim Harbaugh’s second season.—
Thuc Nhi Nguyen,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share