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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There has been a big labor split, however, with carpenters and laborers unions going heavily for Moreno — and waging tough attacks against Aguirre.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
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On Friday, a Russian ballistic missile and drone attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih -- Zelenskyy's home town -- killed 19 people, including nine children.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
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For now, the Trump administration is loosening rules on commanders conducting military raids and airstrikes, expanding the range of people and places that can be targeted.—
Anna Mulrine Grobe,
Christian Science Monitor,
1 Apr. 2025
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The woman, who sued under a Jane Doe pseudonym, told jurors that Way allegedly first raped her in a bathroom during a police raid of his home in mid-February 2019.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Eight minutes of additional time permitted a late Brentford onslaught.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
3 Apr. 2025
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Trump’s onslaught of tariffs heralds a new industrial policy era in the U.S. where the government will intervene more in free markets, and companies will have less flexibility in their decision making.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 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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Russia and Ukraine have both accused each other of violating the pause on strikes since then.—
Reuters,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
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At the hospital, Palestinians killed in the strike were wrapped in white cloths or rugs.—
Kareem Khadder and Dana Karni,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Israel's offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, including hundreds killed in strikes since a ceasefire ended about two weeks ago, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
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Israel’s offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.—
Isaac Scharf and Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Alencar secured four of five takedown attempts and maintained 12:38 of control time en route to the dominant win.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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Trump also survived two assassination attempts in July and September.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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While Hampton should find plenty of success in the Steelers offense, a better offensive line and a cheaper running back later in the draft may be the smarter move.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
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Those wins have featured a combination of factors that have resulted in Ottawa’s success this year: structured defending, solid goaltending and timely offense.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coup de main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20main. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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