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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coups de main
Noun
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The British Army also provided protection from attacks by Native American tribes, giving many settlers little reason to support a rebellion.
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Twice in recent days, the United States has launched retaliatory strikes on Iran following drone attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Noun
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Ukrainian officials describe the strikes as a campaign to pressure Moscow to end the war by undermining its military logistics and supply lines and weakening its ability to mount assaults along the front.
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Ukrainian officials describe the strikes as a campaign to pressure Moscow to end the war by undermining military logistics and supply lines and weakening its ability to mount front-line assaults.
Noun
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After Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles, several people filed a lawsuit in July 2025 alleging authorities questioned them without justification.
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The raids were part of Operation Broken Blade, a federal crackdown on activity along the Figueroa corridor.
Noun
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Since the army broke the siege on el-Obeid last year, the RSF has launched multiple offensives in attempts to reestablish the siege from several directions.
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By targeting logistics hubs and resource stockpiles, Ukraine is attacking the systems that sustain Russian offensives.
Noun
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One interesting trend is that this tournament will feature some very good tight ends, a position that has become increasingly important in college football and the NFL but not so much in high school football in the era of spread offenses.
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Cavalli was not using this as a racial slur, but plenty of black athletes have used it to demean white people without the league getting involved, without suspensions, and zero fines for their offenses.
Noun
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Russia appeared to be flexing its military muscle in a show of force with its latest aerial onslaughts on Ukraine.
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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.
Noun
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In the longest start of his career, Mize threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of 22 batters and struck out five of his final six.
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Gas prices have started to come down since the preliminary peace deal was announced, but the latest round of strikes has threatened to slow ship traffic through the strait, which carried 20% of the world's oil before the war.
Noun
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If the shot is converted, the free throw is worth three points on three-point attempts or two points on two-point attempts.
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Firefighters made several attempts to reach them but were unable to rescue them, per the Akron Beacon Journal.
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“Coups de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coups%20de%20main. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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