1
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
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.
Recent Examples of ambush
Sonal Dutt, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Police here have arrested five suspects, including three Bay Area residents, in an ambush shooting that killed an 18-year-old woman outside a party.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Kristina Rex, CBS News, 8 May 2026
On the other hand, some volcanoes prefer to ambush us, even when smothered in instrumentation.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Noun
The home design star and pop singer returns to HGTV to host and lead the new home series Crashers, a revival of the network's ambush-style renovation franchise that originally aired from 2008 to 2011, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal.
—Sonal Dutt, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Police here have arrested five suspects, including three Bay Area residents, in an ambush shooting that killed an 18-year-old woman outside a party.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
On Monday, Stoneham Police raced to a home for a report of a person with a gun waiting to ambush someone.
—Kristina Rex, CBS News, 8 May 2026
On the other hand, some volcanoes prefer to ambush us, even when smothered in instrumentation.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambush
Noun
-
As the United States has escalated its attacks on Iran, there’s something pleasingly transgressive about bringing Iranian elements into such overtly Western music—so much so that the songs without Yaghmai’s playing seem a little subdued in comparison.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
-
This one way attack drone is aimed at delivering affordable mass capabilities and is engineered for adaptability, and autonomous operations.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
On this album there’s trap and candombe; folk and rock’n’roll.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
9 May 2026
-
Note that planting times listed below are based specifically on the plants' use as trap crops.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Over the last four months, Burke has been arrested four times for crimes ranging from petit larceny to burglary to assault.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
Later Thursday evening, also near Lake Merritt, police said a person suspected of arson resisted arrest and assaulted another officer, sending that officer to the hospital.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The beats are stiffly period-appropriate, repurposing Shawty Redd snare rolls, bouncy Zaytoven keys, and snap music low end without flourish.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
21 Apr. 2026
-
And their childhood friend Wesley Backer is on traps, banging on a 55-gallon rain barrel for a bass drum, buckets for the snare and toms, and sheet metal for cymbals.—
Jessica Meszaros,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ruff said on Sunday after the Sabres waylaid the Bruins 6-1 in Boston.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Padres have gotten promising results from two reclamation projects in Walker Buehler and Germán Márquez, veterans who used to lead pitching staffs before Tommy John surgery waylaid them the past couple seasons.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Tom Brady, who was the victim of Netflix’s last celebrity roast in 2024, made a surprise appearance at Kevin Hart’s roast Sunday to launch a few jokes at the comedian before the night got underway.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
Deadline also asked Coogan about the surprise exit of Helena Bonham Carter, who left The White Lotus around a week into production and was later replaced by Laura Dern.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Surveillance camera footage captured Mott scaling an 8-foot fence topped with barbed wire at the perimeter of the airport in just 15 seconds, then walking across the runway.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Adjacent to the ace is franchise cornerstone Yordan Alvarez, captured mid-celebration after his heroic home run in Game 6 of the Houston Astros’ 2022 World Series victory.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ambush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambush. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
