raid

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of raidnext
1
a
: a hostile or predatory incursion
b
: a surprise attack by a small force
2
a
: a brief foray outside one's usual sphere
b
: a sudden invasion by officers of the law
c
: a daring operation against a competitor
d
: the recruiting of personnel (such as faculty, executives, or athletes) from competing organizations
3
: the act of mulcting public money
4
: an attempt by professional operators to depress stock prices by concerted selling

raid

2 of 2

verb

raided; raiding; raids

intransitive verb

: to conduct or take part in a raid

transitive verb

: to make a raid on

Examples of raid in a Sentence

Noun They launched a raid against the enemy. Weapons were also seized during the drug raid. They caught five smugglers in the raid. Verb The village was raided often by neighboring tribes. Police raided the house and found drugs. Federal agents raided the warehouse, seizing stolen property and arresting five smugglers. She raided her sister's closet to find something to wear to the party.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Thursday’s raid comes amid Republicans’ broader crackdown on healthcare fraud in the Golden State. Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 2 Apr. 2026 Grainy security video distributed by police after the raid appeared to show three people opening a museum door with a large crowbar, after which an explosion is seen. ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Under ordinary circumstances, a larger school from a higher division could be ready to shell out some NIL money to initiate a transfer and raid the roster. Stan Awtrey, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026 The sisters’ mother, Vesta Louis, told Politico this week that federal investigators raided both of their homes in simultaneous operations on March 23, confiscating their cellphones and other electronics. Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for raid

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English (Scots) rade, from Old English rād ride, raid — more at road

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1848, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of raid was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Raid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raid. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

raid

1 of 2 noun
: a sudden attack or invasion

raid

2 of 2 verb
: to make a raid on
raider noun

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