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
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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
Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
Minnesota’s Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson condemned the deception and affirmed how troubling the ambush was.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
In February 2024, the suspect, Shannon Gooden, fatally ambushed a Burnsville firefighter and two police officers.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Noun
But the plan goes severely awry when Hastings’ and Edwards’ planned ambush of the convoy is interrupted by German intelligence officers in a surprise attack, leaving their members wounded and in need of a retreat.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
Minnesota’s Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson condemned the deception and affirmed how troubling the ambush was.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
Leni Riefenstahl, the defiant figure, ambushed by questions about her Nazism on a talk show, is perhaps the most revealing footage in the film.
—Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
In February 2024, the suspect, Shannon Gooden, fatally ambushed a Burnsville firefighter and two police officers.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambush
Noun
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Bin Laden, through the al-Qaida terrorist organization, targeted the United States for nearly a decade before the 9/11 attacks in 2001, utilizing this large and expansive infrastructure.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
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Polish officials said 19 objects entered its airspace during a large Russian air attack on Ukraine.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Inconsistency is another trap—being visible during a launch but silent during challenges erodes credibility.—
Heather Rosenow,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Low-lying areas that trap water are perfect environments for mosses.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The neighbor, who denied any political motivations in the attack, pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of Congress was sentenced to eight months behind bars.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
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In April, 2021, two Chinese women were assaulted outside the town’s only Asian grocery store.—
Beth Lew-Williams,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Daugherty put the snare around the animal.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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As the gator wore down Blake got a snare around it and worked it toward their boat.—
Bob McNally,
Outdoor Life,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Still, plenty of players have had fast starts to their careers only to be waylaid by health issues or bizarre regressions.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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McDonald had grown up attending church services, but decades of addiction and abuse had waylaid her.—
Jillian Steinhauer,
New Yorker,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The potential intruder surprises her in the water.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
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In New York City, Charlie Sheen embarks on a book tour for his new memoir, The Book of Sheen, while Doja Cat surprises fans at her pop-up in Union Square.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Police finally managed to capture Phillips after laying down spikes for his quad bike to run over after he was suspected of a burglary at a commercial address in Piopio.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
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By combining co-creation, creator signals, and data systems, the company has built an engine for capturing information at scale and acting on it faster than rivals.—
Jamie Gutfreund,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ambush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambush. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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