as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
the Continental Army's attack on the British-Hessian encampment at Trenton, New Jersey, ranks as one of the most brilliant coups de main of the war
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Recent Examples of coup de main
Ryan Reynolds walked arm in arm with Blake Lively, and there were polite air-kisses and an appearance by Martha Stewart—but like the film’s coup de main, the night was filled with surprises.
—
Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2018
Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coup de main
Noun
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As the United States has escalated its attacks on Iran, there’s something pleasingly transgressive about bringing Iranian elements into such overtly Western music—so much so that the songs without Yaghmai’s playing seem a little subdued in comparison.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
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This one way attack drone is aimed at delivering affordable mass capabilities and is engineered for adaptability, and autonomous operations.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Brown is expected to face multiple charges, including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, along with weapons offenses.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
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After being medically cleared at a hospital, Villalobos-Espinoza was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of vehicle theft, felony evading, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and an enhancement for prior theft convictions.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Noun
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Several other concerns were raised during the roughly three-hour hearing, including questions about how to best protect visitors and participants from federal immigration raids.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
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While those behind the recent maritime raids have yet to be identified, previous ship captures have often involved young Somalis from impoverished communities and armed extremists affiliated with global terror networks.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Noun
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When a bill to pour billions into financing Israel’s military came across Congressman Kweisi Mfume’s desk, Israel’s military offensive in Gaza had claimed a death toll of over 70,000 people, as reported by local health authorities and acknowledged as broadly accurate by the Israeli military.—
Mark Conway,
Baltimore Sun,
9 May 2026
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After a largely grotesque first quarter offensive for Minnesota in Game 3 on Friday night, Anthony Edwards lit a match that set Target Center ablaze.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
Noun
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That freed up Plum to be in position to score, setting up a much more efficient Sparks offense.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2026
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Brown is still building up his pitch count with his transition from the bullpen to the rotation, requiring high efficiency facing Major League Baseball’s best offense to give them that many outs.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Noun
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This teaching is more urgent now because of tech-heavy medicine and the coming onslaught of AI in patient care.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
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That acknowledgement sparked an onslaught of questions that will likely rest on when Hoskins, a Republican and staunch supporter of the map, decides whether the campaign can reach the ballot.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Ukraine’s long-range drone and missile attacks have disrupted energy facilities and manufacturing deep inside Russia, with three regions reporting strikes Wednesday.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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The strike ended days later with a breakthrough deal that included pay for boarding passengers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The problem is, when your side lack intensity, aggression and cohesion, those traps are easy to spot and avoid.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Bass said Pratt’s videos encourage aggression.—
Britta Miller,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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