banzai attack
noun
: a mass attack by Japanese soldiers in World War II
also
: an all-out usually desperate attack
Examples of banzai attack in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During World War II, Japanese banzai attacks were supported by a cultural expectation that saw death as a soldier’s duty and surrender as an unforgivably shameful act.
—
Nayef Al-Rodhan, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2015
The banzai attacks are extremely costly for the Russians, and help to explain why the Russians are losing around 800 troops a day, according to the Ukrainian defense ministry.
—David Axe, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
The fighting was fierce and ended with a massed banzai attack — the first such all-out charge that Americans would face in the bloody island-hopping campaign.
—Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, 11 Nov. 2020
As the tide rose and the Marines finally began to push in, the remaining Japanese troops launched an all-out banzai attack.
—Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 28 June 2019
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.
Nayef Al-Rodhan, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2015
The banzai attacks are extremely costly for the Russians, and help to explain why the Russians are losing around 800 troops a day, according to the Ukrainian defense ministry.
—David Axe, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
The fighting was fierce and ended with a massed banzai attack — the first such all-out charge that Americans would face in the bloody island-hopping campaign.
—Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, 11 Nov. 2020
As the tide rose and the Marines finally began to push in, the remaining Japanese troops launched an all-out banzai attack.
—Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 28 June 2019
Cite this Entry
“Banzai attack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banzai%20attack. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share