ambush 1 of 2

noun

Definition of ambushnext
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

Relevance
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

ambush

2 of 2

verb

ˈam-ˌbu̇sh How to pronounce ambush (audio)
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
Noun
The details surrounding the ambush murder of a popular rapper were replayed today in a Dallas courtroom. — CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 Using that information to inform computer models, the scientists found that mosasaurs were skilled ambush predators built for a quick sneak attack. — October 16, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
The men were returning to camp from a visit to a supermarket when they were ambushed by armed gang members east of Port-au-Prince. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026 The alleged assault on restaurant employees Investigators said Gonzalez ambushed the employee, repeatedly punching him in the face with closed fists, knocking him to the ground, and continuing to strike him. — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ambush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambush
  1. attack
  2. trap
  3. assault
  4. surprise
  5. snare
  6. waylay
  7. capture
Noun
  • The Hope spent much of its time ferrying sailors and the wounded from other ships or ports to military hospitals, and like the Comfort, it too was attacked multiple times, though each attack failed, usually just missing the ship.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Following the Halle synagogue attack, Germany provided 22 million euros in special federal funding for physical and technical security at Jewish sites.
    — Marc Schneier, New York Daily News, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Rugs trap dust, dirt, allergens, odors, pet hair, dander, and more.
    — Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The researchers then moved the cloud into a wider optical trap and gradually loosened its grip.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of trap
Verb
  • Briana Winkle says her son's school principal called to tell her there was video footage of her 7-year-old son, Maddox, being physically assaulted by his teacher inside his special education classroom.
    — Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 13 Nov. 2026
  • The members of Transport Workers Union Local 100 are constantly assaulted in incidents ranging from a punch in the face to one in which a train operator was stabbed 11 times and nearly killed.
    — John Chiarello, New York Daily News, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of assault
Noun
  • His victory was seen as a bit of a surprise, as forecasters like the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball placed the race in their Lean Republican categories.
    — Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Then again, the trade deadline usually has one or two big surprises.
    — Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of surprise
Noun
  • The trap restriction does not apply to hoop nets and crab snares, though the CDFW noted that hoop nets must be serviced every two hours.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Discordant keys fly like daggers while snares trip over bass thuds; there’s a jazzy piano interlude, and then a murderous hard-rock siege razes the mix to the ground.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of snare
Verb
  • But whatever meddling the Black Doves had planned is waylaid when Helen’s handler, the icy Reed (Sarah Lancashire), goes missing.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026
  • On this day, the Dream had the chance to go up three games to one in the best-of-seven series after waylaying the Valkyries in Games 2 and 3.
    — KEN SUGIURA, AJC.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of waylay
Verb
  • The plant went offline soon after being captured by Russia early in the war, but needs power to keep essential cooling systems running.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Nichols ran tests comparing sounds laid down on 24-track analog tape with those captured by a new 32-track digital unit manufactured by 3M, and found the latter superior.
    — Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of capture

Browse Nearby Words

ambuscading
ambush
ambushed
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Cite this Entry

“Ambush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambush. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ambush

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ambush

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