COUPS DE MAIN Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

coups de main

noun

plural of coup de main

as in attacks

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 Synonyms for coups de main

Noun

Harbaugh had tense standoffs with legacy defenders Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs and, during the 2012 season, held a sitdown with his players to address their vicious and personal attacks on his approach.

— Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved part of its enriched uranium stockpile to Pickaxe Mountain after last June’s attacks, an Israeli source familiar with the matter told CNN.

— Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026

Definition of attacks

Noun

Russia has been doing this since the start of the war, terrorizing Ukrainian cities with aerial assaults that have killed thousands of civilians and crippled much of the country’s energy grid for months on end.

— Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
Her case may finally move forward in court after a recent Charlotte Observer investigation about assaults on CATS bus drivers prompted the district attorney to reexamine the incident.

— Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026

Definition of assaults

Noun

Israel’s ongoing offensives have become a wedge issue for Jewish and non-Jewish Americans, leading to protests and raising antisemitism fears and questions about America’s close ties to Israel.

— David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Countries are scrambling not to fall behind in AI — and French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are leading a personal charm offensives to court tech CEOs.

— Kai Nicol-Schwarz,Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 4 July 2026

Definition of offensives

Noun

But prior to the implementation of the new law, defendants accused of such offenses were often granted release through a proportional bail amount, or even a personal recognizance bond, which meant no upfront money was required for release.

— Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
In 2023, Andrew and Tristan were officially charged with those offenses by the Romanian government, according to the BBC.

— Jack Dunn, Variety, 18 July 2026

Definition of offenses

Noun

Russia appeared to be flexing its military muscle in a show of force with its latest aerial onslaughts on Ukraine.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 May 2026
Wardley, 31, had never lost in 21 bouts before Saturday, and somehow withstood numerous onslaughts from Dubois (23-3) without ever touching the canvas in a remarkable display of courage.

— Chris McKenna, New York Times, 9 May 2026

Definition of onslaughts

Noun

During the first four months of 2026 alone, drone strikes killed at least 880 civilians and accounted for more than 80% of civilian deaths recorded by the UN.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
The conflict between the United States and Iran is spiraling, experts warned Monday, as a deadly and expanding exchange of strikes over the weekend appeared to decimate the interim deal between the two nations.

— Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 20 July 2026

Definition of strikes

Noun

Several attempts finished just short or caught the edge of the cup.

— Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Trump spoke now not only to distract from his sputtering Iran war and its effects on the economy, but also because his attempts to concretely interfere with the 2026 election thus far have almost all failed.

— David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Definition of attempts

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Browse Nearby Words

coups de grâce

coups de main

courage

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“Coups de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coups%20de%20main. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of coups de main

noun

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