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.
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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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The strikes Thursday evening came as Palestinian medics were still surveying the morning's deadly toll of fierce Israeli attacks, including on Nuseirat camp.Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports, arkansasonline.com, 13 Dec. 2024
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The trip to Luxembourg marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, which began Dec. 16, 1944, when German soldiers launched an unexpected attack through Belgium and Luxembourg.Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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After the raid, a lot of her customers never came back to Morton.Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 9 Dec. 2024
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The case became public last week when The Intercept published an article on the raid and the letter was released.DAN ROSENZWEIG-ZIFF THE WASHINGTON POST, arkansasonline.com, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Cruise companies are then not the bad guys delivering an onslaught of daytrippers into Europe's rammed summer cobbled streets by keeping everyone onboard longer with many activities.Alex Ledsom, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
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The Warriors went scoreless for four minutes as a tight game became an 18-point onslaught.Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Beijing has also softened its regulatory assault on Chinese technology companies and the property sector.Jacky Wong, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023
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Zelenskyy has warned for weeks that Moscow aims to step up its assault after about two months of virtual stalemate along the front line that stretches across the south and east.Reuters, NBC News, 31 Jan. 2023
Noun
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The strikes showcased the asymmetry in the two countries’ military capabilities: Iran launched many missiles with limited results, but the IDF accurately hit high-value targets, including Iran’s S-300 antiaircraft systems and a nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin.Amos Yadlin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Dec. 2024
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Over its two seasons, the series’ production was halted several times, due to Covid, star Bridges’ cancer treatment and the 2023 strikes.Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Unless the United States steps in, Erdogan will use the opportunity to carry out offensives against the Kurds.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Related article Syrian rebel leader says goal is to ‘overthrow’ Assad regime HTS had been the de facto rulers of Idlib, the northwestern Syrian city from which the recent offensive was launched.Rob Picheta, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Witkoff was with Trump during the apparent second assassination attempt on his life, telling NBC that Secret Service agents dived on Trump and got him off his Florida golf course in under 20 seconds.Sara Dorn, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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As a part of the settlement, the false electors acknowledged their actions were used in an attempt to overturn an election.Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Seattle offense collects three first-half touchdowns This was a big day for the Seahawks’ offense.Michael-Shawn Dugar, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
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As the league’s most efficient offense, the team relies on his ability to stretch the floor, his physicality on the boards, and his innate feel for the game.Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near coup de main
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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