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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
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Police here have arrested a suspect in an ambush-style shooting that targeted two brothers who operated a late-night lingerie store in an area known for prostitution, according to jail records.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 3 Feb. 2026
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said an ICE agent shot a Venezuelan national in the leg after agents were allegedly ambushed and attacked with a shovel.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Noun
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
Police here have arrested a suspect in an ambush-style shooting that targeted two brothers who operated a late-night lingerie store in an area known for prostitution, according to jail records.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
Investigators allege that Andrade and Rodriguez ambushed 6ix9ine’s mother at gunpoint in the garage of the rapper’s Wellington, Florida home.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 3 Feb. 2026
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said an ICE agent shot a Venezuelan national in the leg after agents were allegedly ambushed and attacked with a shovel.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambush
Noun
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Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The administration’s attacks on Lemon and independent journalists have boosted their online attention and revenue.—
Drew Harwell,
Washington Post,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But talking about identity has ever-shifting rules and hierarchies that amount to bear-traps that can spring at any time.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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In the bottom of your dishwasher, there’s a small trap that’s meant to catch food particles and debris that’s rinsed off your plates during the wash cycle.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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He was booked on charges related to assault with a deadly weapon, felony vandalism and probation violation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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Three years after the incident involving Cordell, a prisoner claimed he was assaulted, choked and Tazed by Hadder while on day release for a family reunion at a Waffle House.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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One photographer visited Uganda and captured the striking image of a mountain of snares, used to trap wildlife and confiscated by the nation’s rangers.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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The team used non-invasive survey tools, including 285 hair snares and 135 remote cameras, to collect the information from a 150-square-mile area, the institute said.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The decision came back to haunt the Braves, who were waylaid by injuries and underperformance and ultimately saw their streak of postseason berths end at seven.—
Ken Sugiura,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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The administration’s response is to waylay Lucy in the hall and drag her unprepared into a surprise meeting with the dean, Caitie, and Baird’s second-creepiest professor, Marianne, to discuss coming forward with her (false) allegation of rape.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And to some surprise, that contract ended up being extremely reasonable.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Texas Democrats got to enjoy the glow of a surprise victory in Tarrant County for just about a day before the party reverted to its uncommon capacity for self-immolation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the fox has proved stubbornly difficult to capture.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Once a frame is captured, the chip ignores the full image and registers only moving objects.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ambush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambush. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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