as in attempts
an attack in which a place is bombed by military airplanes
Much of the city was destroyed in an air raid.
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Recent Examples of air raids
In the latest fighting, Israel has launched blistering air raids across Lebanon, killing more than 1,000 people — mostly outside of the border area — and displacing over a million.
—
ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Beyond the capital, CNN staff in northern Iran also reported major nighttime air raids.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
The family originally lived in Liverpool, but she was born in Blackpool, about 50 miles away, after Lillian was sent there while pregnant due to the risk of air raids in World War II.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
Midnight curfews, daily air raids and wounded veterans on the runway put the reality of war front and centre.
—Finbarr Toesland, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2025
Grygorova, 19, who lives in Kharkiv, a city near the Ukrainian-Russian border, said despite the constant rocket attacks, drones, air raids, and explosions, her thoughts are always with the people suffering through the continuous combat.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
Starting in the spring, Russia ramped up the intensity of its air raids against Ukraine, which reached a monthly record in July of 6,443 missiles and drones.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Beyond the capital, CNN staff in northern Iran also reported major nighttime air raids.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
The family originally lived in Liverpool, but she was born in Blackpool, about 50 miles away, after Lillian was sent there while pregnant due to the risk of air raids in World War II.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
Midnight curfews, daily air raids and wounded veterans on the runway put the reality of war front and centre.
—Finbarr Toesland, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2025
Grygorova, 19, who lives in Kharkiv, a city near the Ukrainian-Russian border, said despite the constant rocket attacks, drones, air raids, and explosions, her thoughts are always with the people suffering through the continuous combat.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
Starting in the spring, Russia ramped up the intensity of its air raids against Ukraine, which reached a monthly record in July of 6,443 missiles and drones.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for air raids
Noun
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An outcry five years ago Missouri’s history with Christian boarding schools is why the previous attempts to pass this kind of legislation failed to get any traction.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
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The 6-foot-10 big man made his first six field-goal attempts and scored 11 points in his first eight minutes of floor time.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the months before the surge in operations, police lost 25 armored vehicles to ambushes involving barricades, trenches and Molotov cocktail attacks, authorities said.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
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Hamas has used the tunnels to store weapons, hide hostages and stage ambushes of Israeli soldiers.—
Samuel Granados,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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According to state officials, the assaults took place between 2002 and 2008.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Such units have traditionally been used for missions like large-scale evacuations and amphibious operations that require ship-to-shore movements, including raids and assaults.—
James Legge,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When will these onslaughts of cold end?—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Leading the effort is the ATF National Response Team, a specialized rapid-response force that responds to the nation’s highest-profile bombings, explosions and arson, including the 9/11 World Trade Center attack and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Air raids.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/air%20raids. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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