as in to assault
to take sudden, violent action against
the muggers pounced on the unsuspecting tourists as soon as they rounded the corner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pounce (on or upon)
Verb
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The neighbor, who denied any political motivations in the attack, pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of Congress was sentenced to eight months behind bars.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025 -
In April, 2021, two Chinese women were assaulted outside the town’s only Asian grocery store.—
Beth Lew-Williams,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Charlie was the best of America, and the monster who attacked him was attacking our whole country.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
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Estonian police said the drone was likely en route to attack targets inside Russia.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The charges come after the FBI in June 2022 raided at least three churches associated with the House of Prayer Christian Churches in Georgia and Texas, established just miles from Fort Gordon, Fort Stewart and Fort Hood.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Caracas on Saturday accused the US of raiding a Venezuelan fishing boat while in Venezuelan waters, underscoring the rising tensions in the region.—
Claire Cameron,
semafor.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Just five days later, on September 9, demonstrators stormed and set fire to key government buildings, deposing the administration, as the BBC reported.—
Javier Bastardo,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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And in a rural field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a similar ceremony marked by moments of silence, the reading of names and the laying of wreaths, will honor the victims of Flight 93, the hijacked plane that crashed after crew members and passengers tried to storm the cockpit.—
Philip Marcelo,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kirk was answering an audience question about mass shootings when the bullet struck his neck, causing students and visitors to flee in panic.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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At the same time, maintaining emotional support while encouraging autonomy strikes a healthier balance than enabling avoidance.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Pounce (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pounce%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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