blitzkrieg

noun

blitz·​krieg ˈblits-ˌkrēg How to pronounce blitzkrieg (audio)
1
: war conducted with great speed and force
specifically : a violent surprise offensive by massed air forces and mechanized ground forces in close coordination
2
blitzkrieg transitive verb

Examples of blitzkrieg in a Sentence

the stunned survivors of the crash were then confronted with a blitzkrieg of insensitive questions from the media the war began with a blitzkrieg that was designed to shock the enemy into submission
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.
The Box Score The Bottom Line Universal’s 360-degree marketing campaign for Wicked was similar to the studio’s blitzkrieg for the Jurassic World and Despicable Me franchises, and is figured at a global cost of $170 million. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2025 Over time, a Democratic Party will need a three-pronged counter-attack to reverse Trumpers’ unprecedented blitzkrieg to the worst of two worlds — oligarchy and fascism. Mark Green, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025 In 1940, Germany overran much of western Europe in a matter of weeks by means of a blitzkrieg, bringing together armor and airpower. Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025 Of them, the one of interest is the government sector, which reported a loss of only 10,000 jobs, In light of DOGE’s blitzkriegs in the VA and the IRS alone, which could have totaled 170,000 jobs. Eli Amdur, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for blitzkrieg

Word History

Etymology

German, from Blitz lightning + Krieg war

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blitzkrieg was in 1937

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Cite this Entry

“Blitzkrieg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blitzkrieg. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

blitzkrieg

noun
blitz·​krieg ˈblits-ˌkrēg How to pronounce blitzkrieg (audio)
: a sudden violent enemy attack
blitzkrieg verb
Etymology

German, literally, "lightning war"

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