1
as in attack
a setup in which hidden attackers lie in wait
revolutionaries laid in ambush for the king along the route his carriage would travel
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in trap
a device or scheme for capturing another by surprise
thinking that he was getting into his assigned limousine, the diplomat did not realize that he was the victim of an ambush as he was being lured into his captor's car
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to attack
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise
the king's enemies planned to ambush the royal coach on the way to Paris and capture the king
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ambush
Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 June 2025
She was frequently caught short by the playwright’s winking ambush.
—Han Ong, New Yorker, 22 June 2025
David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 2025
Two firefighters were killed and another wounded in northwest Idaho on Sunday when a gunman started a fire and then ambushed the responding firefighters, authorities said.
—Liz Kreutz, NBC news, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Noun
These groups have deployed drones equipped with explosives, infrared sensors and thermal imaging to track human targets, enabling nighttime ambushes and coordinated assaults.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 June 2025
She was frequently caught short by the playwright’s winking ambush.
—Han Ong, New Yorker, 22 June 2025
Verb
Roley, who was found dead near the scene after appearing to have shot himself, is suspected of lighting the brush with a flint fire starter before ambushing the firefighting crew in a mountainous area of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 2025
Two firefighters were killed and another wounded in northwest Idaho on Sunday when a gunman started a fire and then ambushed the responding firefighters, authorities said.
—Liz Kreutz, NBC news, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambush
Noun
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But then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin repudiated the deal, saying a decision on the death penalty in an attack as grave as Sept. 11 should only be made by the defense secretary.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 July 2025
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Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky kicked off the proceedings in Rome as Moscow pounded Ukraine’s capital with another major missile and drone attack overnight in some of the heaviest attacks on Kyiv in the more than three-year war.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Luthor — with the backing of the U.S. government — traps both aliens and political opponents in an off-site prison, located in a pocket dimension.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Vulture,
11 July 2025
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Affluent families sometimes fall into the trap of overprotecting their kids, removing all struggle in the name of love.—
Anatoly Iofe,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Verb
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McLaughlin, in a statement to NBC News, said the man had assaulted and verbally harassed a federal agent which led to his arrest.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
8 July 2025
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Jurors watched footage of Combs viciously assaulting Ventura and saw photos of her injuries from various beatings inflicted during their relationship.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
8 July 2025
Noun
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And Gemma and her cohorts are forced to develop new technologically advanced gizmos in a hurry and repurpose items on the fly in order to do battle with enemies amid the snares and dangers of these elaborate settings.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
26 June 2025
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Wolves are killed across the Northern Rockies using steel-jawed traps, neck snares, packs of dogs and even snowmobiles.—
Jim Martin,
Denver Post,
27 June 2025
Verb
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During the years following the mail bomb threat, Harold had also begun an intensive self-defence training regimen partly as a way of waylaying his debilitating state of constant paranoia.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
18 June 2025
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But those plans were waylaid by red tape from state liquor authorities and construction difficulties, according to Caulfield.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Frantic runs burst through the music, while the last movement surprises with its sudden force.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
11 July 2025
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Customers in New York City, Green Bay and Austin, Texas, might even be surprised with a free lip balm duo at their local cafe, Panera said.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Verb
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The emotional moment, captured on video and shared with the world, ends in a tight embrace and tears.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
11 July 2025
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Such news typically captures investors' attention—particularly when major players like Blackstone, Brookfield, and BlackRock’s infrastructure division are speculated to be involved.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ambush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambush. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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