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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
Owen Clarke, Outside, 17 Dec. 2025
The ambush is delivered courtesy of the Mangkwan Clan, a cult of kamikaze hedonists who rejected Eywa after a volcano reduced their corner of Pandora to ash, but the RDA is happy to seize on the chaos and launch their final attack on the Metkayina’s oceanic stronghold.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2025
Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 17 Dec. 2025
Police have made no arrest of either of the two people who opened fire on the two males who were ambushed.
—Charlotte Observer, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Noun
For professional snowboarder Makoto Kuroki, winter 2025 started with an ambush and a high-speed pursuit.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 17 Dec. 2025
The ambush is delivered courtesy of the Mangkwan Clan, a cult of kamikaze hedonists who rejected Eywa after a volcano reduced their corner of Pandora to ash, but the RDA is happy to seize on the chaos and launch their final attack on the Metkayina’s oceanic stronghold.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2025
Verb
The pair had brought $3,000 and were ambushed in a parking lot and shot multiple times, authorities said.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 17 Dec. 2025
Police have made no arrest of either of the two people who opened fire on the two males who were ambushed.
—Charlotte Observer, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambush
Noun
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Good's defenders – including city and state leaders – are calling what happened an unjustified attack; federal authorities say the agent was acting in self-defense.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
9 Jan. 2026
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In Kyiv, a CNN reporter said that the attack began around midnight, starting with multiple drone strikes on residential buildings.—
Kosta Gak,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Some people even shared old photos of Indigenous peoples wearing the hoods, noting that the originators of the design kept the fur outward to break cold wind and trap snow.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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At one point, a trap even caught the wrong bear.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The suspect beat the victim with a construction sign and then continued to assault the victim using the victim's bicycle.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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Citizens have had their front doors blown out, been hit with pepper balls for praying outside government facilities, been wrongfully charged with assaulting agents, and have seen their identification papers dismissed as fake and thus grounds for detainment.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But the trial quickly hit a snare Tuesday after the state brought Paul Yaras with the Illinois Department of Revenue to present expert testimony on the business owners’ tax returns.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
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The Rolling Stones were defined by the sound of Charlie Watts’s snare from their first public breakthrough.—
John Lingan,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Damon takes center stage as Odysseus, the brave and cunning king of Ithaca who gets waylaid for 10 years trying to return home to his loyal wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and dutiful son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), after playing a key role in the Trojan War.—
Oliver Gettell,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Dec. 2025
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But after Frank waylays the Colombians’ shipment to the prison, Cortez is the fixer who gets called in immediately.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
7 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Half the enjoyment of these toys is being able to carefully break open the egg to reveal the surprise creature inside.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
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The design from Takeshi Kata is intensifying hyper-realistic and comes with a surprise sting in its tail, not to mention some gorgeous vistas from the great Chicago lighting designer Heather Gilbert, who send shafts of light into the play’s motel room of the paranoid.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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During non-blooming periods, the bulb focuses on producing tall leaves that capture energy and store it for the next flowering phase.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
14 Jan. 2026
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Dorothy Parker was a master of witty dialogue and subtle comedy, and this story perfectly captures all the tenderness and rage of sisterhood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ambush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambush. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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