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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Warm ocean water in these areas can cause storms to rapidly intensify right before landfall, giving communities less time to prepare for the onslaught.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
30 May 2025
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The chaos the president’s tariff onslaught caused in the U.S. Treasury market quickly spread to Japan, boosting yields.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
29 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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Trucker strike gains momentum in Iran Iranian truck drivers have widened their labor stoppage to include more than 100 town and cities across the country.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Zelenskyy said the setbacks for the Kremlin would help force it to the negotiating table, even as its pursues a summer offensive on the battlefield.—
Mehmet Guzel,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2025
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Even before the latest Ukrainian drone strikes, amid preparations for the peace talks in Istanbul, Russia was stepping up attacks on Ukraine in what seems to be the early stages of a new summer offensive.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
2 June 2025
Noun
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His attempt to turn the briefing into a public-relations coup—and to trade on his reputation as a deft negotiator has collapsed.—
Sizwe Mpofu Walsh,
Time,
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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When Irvine’s offense worked another opportunity to score in the bottom of the eighth after Penso placed down a sacrifice bunt, Alonso Reyes hit into a 4-6-3 double play with the bases loaded to end the rally.—
Benjamin Royer,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
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Siakam can get the Pacers going on some nights when their offense is subpar.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
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 6 Jun. 2025.
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