COUP DE MAIN Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

coup de main

noun

ˌkü-də-ˈmaⁿ

Definition of coup de main

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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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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for coup de main

Noun

Brent crude oil prices paused in early trading on Tuesday after gaining in the previous session following a drone attack on an oil pipeline pumping station in Russia that reduced flows from Kazakhstan.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Wrexham have looked at signing strikers to add new dimensions to their attack.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of attack

Noun

During last year’s raids on homes owned by Kadgien and her sister in Mar del Plata, Argentine police also seized two 19th-century paintings, along with other prints and engravings.

— Sergio Farella, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
The deal comes eight months after Washington ousted former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a military raid and co-opted the remaining regime led by interim President Delcy Rodríguez.

— Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of raid

Noun

Its interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former al-Qa’eda militant who led the rebel offensive that overthrew dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, has been struggling to rebuild a nation devastated by almost 14 years of civil war.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 Sep. 2026
According to foreign military sources, the United States and Israel had planned just such a massive air offensive in early August that would have been far larger and more damaging than earlier bombings.

— JAMES F. JEFFREY, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of offensive

Noun

Jurors also have the option to find Clancy guilty of the lesser offenses of second-degree murder, which is punishable by a life sentence with the possibility of parole, or manslaughter, which carries a 20-year maximum sentence.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
The offense did not produce a touchdown in its nine possessions.

— Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of offense

Noun

Following Monday’s onslaught, the Cubs now lead the league in slugging, on-base percentage and OPS and are fourth in team batting average.

— Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Cooler sea water around the islands usually serves as a shield to protect them from the onslaught of tropical storms and hurricanes, which typically need warm water of at least 80 degrees to form and strengthen.

— Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of onslaught

Noun

Instead, that generation’s gesture seems to be stymied or to miss its target and end in bitterness—which is precisely what gives these artists’ work at its best a poignancy on the other side of its aggression and humor.

— Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Volatile, headstrong, and brimming with wild-eyed passive-aggression, the actor’s performance heightens the wall situation from a neighborly dispute to the stuff of a biblical trial.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of aggression

Browse Nearby Words

coup de grâce

coup de main

coupe

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Style

“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of coup de main

noun

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