raid

1 of 2

noun

ˈrād 

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

Synonyms of raid

Noun

• invasion
• incursion

Verb

• invade
• attack

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

Noun

His government has conducted raids and arrested dozens of current and former lawmakers and government officials accused of corruption, including a number affiliated with former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. — ABC News, 14 July 2026

In August 2025 in Los Angeles, an SUV on a freeway hit and killed Roberto Carlos Valdez, a Guatemalan immigrant fleeing from an ICE raid at a Home Depot. — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026

Verb

Not far away lay a replica Viking longship, a smaller version of the vessel used by their spiritual and ancestral kin to explore and raid from North America to North Africa a millennium earlier. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

Haaland — blond and hulking — plays like a true Viking raiding the shores of Yorkshire. — Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2026

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

Phrases Containing raid

• air raid
• bombing raid
• counter-raid
• panty raid

Rhymes for raid

• aid
• aide
• bade
• blade
• braid
• clade
• dade
• fade
• flayed
• fraid
• frayed
• gade

Kids Definition

raid

1 of 2 noun

ˈrād 

: a sudden attack or invasion

raid

2 of 2 verb

: to make a raid on

raider noun