as in successes
a successful result brought about by hard work
winning that big contract was a real coup
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Recent Examples of coups
There is delight at Tottenham over what, alongside the £100m agreement for Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, represents a pair of significant coups.
—
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Press freedoms across Africa are already fragile, with most nations ranking in the lower half of an influential press freedoms index, while numerous recent coups have contributed to a weakening of democratic norms in parts of the continent.
—
Jenny Vaughan,
semafor.com,
29 June 2026
They are governed by military juntas that staged coups fueled by resentment toward old Western partners and democratic governments.
—
Wilson McMakin,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Mali, alongside neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, have been wracked by coups in recent years and are now ruled by military leaders who took power by force, pledging to provide more security to citizens.
—
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Prince, the at times outrageous, androgynous, one-man-band performer and producer, backed up his genius rep by pulling off one of the most unlikely coups in rock history after unleashing the multi-platinum 1984 Purple Rain soundtrack and Oscar-winning film.
—
Keith Murphy,
VIBE.com,
7 June 2026
The results have left Starmer’s position hanging in the balance, as dozens of lawmakers call for his resignation and speculation mounts that some within his own ranks understood to be planning leadership coups.
—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
The switch from French to Russian patronage came after coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, followed by two in Burkina Faso in 2022, then one in Niger in 2023.
—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2026
Alongside Burkina Faso and Niger, Mali has formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), initially formed as a political bloc in response to regional sanctions imposed after their respective coups.
—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Press freedoms across Africa are already fragile, with most nations ranking in the lower half of an influential press freedoms index, while numerous recent coups have contributed to a weakening of democratic norms in parts of the continent.
—
Jenny Vaughan,
semafor.com,
29 June 2026
They are governed by military juntas that staged coups fueled by resentment toward old Western partners and democratic governments.
—
Wilson McMakin,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Mali, alongside neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, have been wracked by coups in recent years and are now ruled by military leaders who took power by force, pledging to provide more security to citizens.
—
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Prince, the at times outrageous, androgynous, one-man-band performer and producer, backed up his genius rep by pulling off one of the most unlikely coups in rock history after unleashing the multi-platinum 1984 Purple Rain soundtrack and Oscar-winning film.
—
Keith Murphy,
VIBE.com,
7 June 2026
The results have left Starmer’s position hanging in the balance, as dozens of lawmakers call for his resignation and speculation mounts that some within his own ranks understood to be planning leadership coups.
—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
The switch from French to Russian patronage came after coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, followed by two in Burkina Faso in 2022, then one in Niger in 2023.
—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2026
Alongside Burkina Faso and Niger, Mali has formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), initially formed as a political bloc in response to regional sanctions imposed after their respective coups.
—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coups
Noun
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Smart textiles and wearables continue to generate a lot of interest and there is meaningful early-stage development work happening, but successes to date remain largely niche.
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The next step is turning battlefield successes into standardized systems that every brigade can field.
Noun
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The only pick lacking in accomplishments so far is Zaccharie Risacher, whom the Hawks took first in 2024.
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And at Eboigbodin’s official visit at UCLA, his birth family from Nigeria and host family in Southern California were able to come together for the first time, celebrating his accomplishments and giving the future Bruin confidence that UCLA was home.
Noun
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The Hall of Fame honors persons who have made outstanding contributions in the arts, sciences or management of television over a lifetime career or via singular achievements.
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LeBron James's eight-year tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, though marked by an NBA championship and record-breaking achievements, concluded with his decision to depart.
Cite this Entry
“Coups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coups. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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