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
raided; raiding; raids
: to conduct or take part in a raid
: 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
Geoff Mulvihill, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Earlier in the year, CBP agents conducted a three-day raid in rural parts of Kern County targeting day laborers and Latino farmworkers.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
Greta Cross, USA Today, 2 June 2025
Wolves might be about to get raided for a second time.
—Phil Hay
june 2, New York Times, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for raid
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
When Pride Month began The monthlong global celebration began with Gay Pride Week in late June 1970, a year after the violent police raid at New York’s Stonewall Inn, a gay bar.
—Geoff Mulvihill, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Earlier in the year, CBP agents conducted a three-day raid in rural parts of Kern County targeting day laborers and Latino farmworkers.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
Verb
Though the police had raided Stonewall Inn and countless others before, the events of June 28, 1969, known as the Stonewall Riots, spearheaded a six-day uprising for LGBTQ+ rights.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 2 June 2025
Wolves might be about to get raided for a second time.
—Phil Hay
june 2, New York Times, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for raid
Cite this Entry
“Raid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raid. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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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