as in attacked
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
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Recent Examples of ambushed
On July 15, 1992, Alex and Nickell were walking on Wimbledon Common in southwest London when they were ambushed.
—
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Three police officers and a civilian were among the latest victims when a gang ambushed them last week.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Tovar ambushed Kilian’s first offering, pulling a two-run homer over the left-field fence to hand the Giants their fourth straight loss.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 30 May 2026
Puckett allegedly ambushed two deputies during a welfare check Friday night, killing a military veteran and injuring a second officer.
—Alexandra Koch , Lorraine Taylor, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026
Betts ambushed a belt-high four-seamer into the first row of seats in the left-center bleachers.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 27 May 2026
While driving to the meeting alongside Miles and his right-hand man, Mo (Mo Brings Plenty), their car is ambushed by unknown hitmen armed with some serious weaponry.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026
The scene is near where a gunman ambushed two members of the West Virginia National Guard last November.
—Darlene Superville, Fortune, 24 May 2026
The scene is near where a gunman ambushed two members of the West Virginia National Guard in November.
—Darlene Superville, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Three police officers and a civilian were among the latest victims when a gang ambushed them last week.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Tovar ambushed Kilian’s first offering, pulling a two-run homer over the left-field fence to hand the Giants their fourth straight loss.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 30 May 2026
Puckett allegedly ambushed two deputies during a welfare check Friday night, killing a military veteran and injuring a second officer.
—Alexandra Koch , Lorraine Taylor, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026
Betts ambushed a belt-high four-seamer into the first row of seats in the left-center bleachers.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 27 May 2026
While driving to the meeting alongside Miles and his right-hand man, Mo (Mo Brings Plenty), their car is ambushed by unknown hitmen armed with some serious weaponry.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026
The scene is near where a gunman ambushed two members of the West Virginia National Guard last November.
—Darlene Superville, Fortune, 24 May 2026
The scene is near where a gunman ambushed two members of the West Virginia National Guard in November.
—Darlene Superville, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambushed
Verb
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Three people were killed and 20 more people were attacked by bears across at least nine prefectures between April and June 2, according to public broadcaster NHK.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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During the Gaza war, the Houthis attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea — including ships with no link to Israel — to pressure Israel into lifting its blockade on the enclave.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Detectives say the suspect, 45-year-old Ismael Martinez, had just assaulted his girlfriend with a knife; she was found wounded in a nearby vehicle and hospitalized.—
Jazmin Alvarado,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
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Lewis was accused of poisoning two white female housemates, assaulted by a white mob in response to the charge, and acquitted in court, only to then be accused of stealing art supplies and prohibited from reënrolling.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Verb
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After making off with a substantial stack of cash from her job to fund a new life with boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin), she gets waylaid by a rainstorm and stops to spend the night at the Bates Motel, run by awkward mama’s boy Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins).—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026
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Then, minutes into the speech, Santos posted on X that he had been waylaid at the airport.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
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On the winning side was Cracker Barrel, which surprised investors Tuesday by posting strong third-quarter profit and revenue.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
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But he was surprised by articles that said men could experience postpartum depression too.—
Keith Wagstaff,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Fusaro said investigators are interested in any activity captured in or around the apartment complex, particularly that involving suspicious vehicles or individuals.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
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Against the backdrop of the city's elegant architecture, Lopez floated through the evening in a voluminous butter yellow gown that captured two of fashion's current obsessions.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ambushed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambushed. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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