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.
—
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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But after the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the movie was retooled with a new finale before being released in theaters on June 21, 2002.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
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Hunger already killed her baby niece Dozens of babies have died of malnutrition, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and more than 53,000 people – or 4% of the entire population – have been killed since Israel launched its war following the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas and its allies.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
Noun
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When Pride Month began The monthlong global celebration began with Gay Pride Week in late June 1970, a year after the violent police raid at New York’s Stonewall Inn, a gay bar.—
Geoff Mulvihill,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2025
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Earlier in the year, CBP agents conducted a three-day raid in rural parts of Kern County targeting day laborers and Latino farmworkers.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
Noun
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The offensive onslaught started with seven runs through two innings, and the Bearcats put the game out of reach by adding seven runs in the fifth inning.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 May 2025
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The Cruel World onslaught on the Bay Area keeps right on rolling along, with so many acts playing the big ’80s music festival in Pasadena also performing dates up north.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
16 May 2025
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 racing movie arrives in theaters this summer after a longer-than-expected production that got shut down for an entire year amid the Hollywood strikes.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
28 May 2025
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But the frequency and scale of these strikes increased again in January, after US President Donald Trump returned to the White House.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Instead, Modi told the public that India’s military offensive had brought Pakistan to its knees to beg for a cease-fire.—
Vaibhav Vats,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2025
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Israel launched an intensified offensive in Gaza on Sunday, ordering mass evacuations, stepping up airstrikes throughout the territory and killing hundreds of Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Cardinale and his team have long chased the Telegraph, but an earlier an earlier attempt to buy it through All3Media owner RedBird IMI, which is majority controlled out of the Middle East, was blocked by the Conservative Party.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
23 May 2025
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An attempt to streamline that story line would render Elden Ring not unlike Game of Thrones: a dark, twisted fantasy narrative where death rules over all.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
Noun
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While the offense should be just fine, the defensive side of the court was a huge issue in the playoffs.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
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Because everybody’s offense has been better than Boston’s.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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