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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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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Though the United States decided against deportation, images of the workers being chained and handcuffed during the raid caused widespread alarm in South Korea.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
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Following the indictment, the FBI on Wednesday conducted a raid near Augusta, Georgia, arresting leaders after years of allegations that the church operated like a cult and preyed on military communities nationwide.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Mad Men would be named Best Drama for a third straight year and Temple Grandin commenced what turned out to be a seemingly endless onslaught at every applicable awards show, as the TV-movie tied an Emmy record with five major wins.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
13 Sep. 2025
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Poland was not alone in defending its citizens from the Russian onslaught meant for Ukraine.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Multiple rights experts and scholars say Israel's military assault on Gaza amounts to genocide.—
Jarrett Renshaw,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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This coalesces and makes sense of the barrage of assaults designed to undermine Americans’ trust in our country, our Constitution and all the principles upon which it was built.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Several reports and analyses in the immediate aftermath of Israel’s September 9 airstrike on Doha observed how the Israeli strike had led the Arab Gulf states to ask fundamental questions about their existing security arrangements with the United States.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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And just quickly on Qatar, the Israelis did a strike in Qatar, our ally.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The full-scale operation is not yet expected to start in the coming week, and no new advance by tanks to deepen the ground offensive was reported so far on Tuesday.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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In fact, Moscow has recently stepped up its offensive and on Sunday launched its biggest air attack on Ukraine, hitting a key government building.—
Silvia Amaro,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This story contains graphic descriptions of suicide attempts.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
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Then, at the end of the episode, Slightly pulls Arthur’s body into a ventilation shaft, in what could be a belated act of regret or an attempt to preserve a Xenomorph host body before any other aliens can eat it.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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At least 25 people were arrested in offenses including violent disorder, assaults and criminal damage, and the investigation continues, police said.—
BRIAN MELLEY,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
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So what does this offense look like when Xavier Worthy comes back and Rashee Rice comes off suspension?—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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