1
as in attack
a setup in which hidden attackers lie in wait
revolutionaries laid in ambush for the king along the route his carriage would travel
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in trap
a device or scheme for capturing another by surprise
thinking that he was getting into his assigned limousine, the diplomat did not realize that he was the victim of an ambush as he was being lured into his captor's car
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to attack
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise
the king's enemies planned to ambush the royal coach on the way to Paris and capture the king
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ambush
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025
Aside from games like volleyball and dominoes, Gach says some children stage fake ambushes on one another while pretending to be government forces or rebel fighters.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
More than a year after a 63-year-old woman was ambushed and killed along a walking trail, a man has been charged, Texas officials say.
—Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Noun
In basic multiplayer fashion, there are bottlenecked spaces for ambushes, and everything loops together just fine for flanking.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025
Aside from games like volleyball and dominoes, Gach says some children stage fake ambushes on one another while pretending to be government forces or rebel fighters.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
After pinning Roxanne Perez inside the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Stephanie Vaquer was ambushed by Raquel Rodriguez.
—Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
More than a year after a 63-year-old woman was ambushed and killed along a walking trail, a man has been charged, Texas officials say.
—Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambush
Noun
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Federico Gatti was also excellent in thwarting Madrid’s attacks.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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The attack has spurred allegations of a hate crime against the girl, who is Yemeni and Muslim.—
Andrea May Sahouri,
Freep.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Half of his power lies in his ability to explore outside the mold, pushing through reggaetón into dancehall and Latin trap without losing command of the audience.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
22 Oct. 2025
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In fact, every apparent breakdown has turned into a bear trap, sparking powerful reversals in the opposite direction.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In March 2022, he was charged with assaulting a health care worker.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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The girl was between the ages of 4 and 10 when she was assaulted.—
Ryanne Mena,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Unfortunately, during his journey, Vasi encountered a wire snare trap, which ended up clamped around his back leg in September 2019.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
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Christie Jourdain is band leader and snare drummer for The Original Pinettes, the city’s first all-female brass band that formed in 1991.—
Jenny Adams,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ensure a simple-enough menu stays manageable with a to-do list so you’re not waylaid by days-long side quests.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
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In Pecos, a shelter employee named Luis gave me a tour while Wright was waylaid by a man in a black pickup truck who wanted to surrender four pit bulls.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some of his teammates, including Grizzle, said they were surprised by Doyle’s ability to put some spin on the ball.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
22 Oct. 2025
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The president surprised many last week by announcing that an agreement with India had been reached to stop its buying of Russian crude oil.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Since posting, Watt’s video has gone viral, even catching the attention of the Live Like Maddie Foundation, which thanked her for capturing the magic and shared her clip to help promote next year’s event.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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After Johnny and his father pull off a miraculous job of capturing the bull, Grief has to keep Johnny from being arrested by San Bernardino deputy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ambush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambush. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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