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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Try supplements: Certain supplements, such as Riboflavin and CoQ10, can help reduce the frequency and severity of attacks.—
Verywell Health,
Verywell Health,
6 June 2025
-
The decision came just days after an Egyptian man in Colorado was arrested and charged with carrying out an attack on a group honoring hostages being held in Gaza.—
Hamed Aleaziz,
New York Times,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Beijing has also softened its regulatory assault on Chinese technology companies and the property sector.—
Jacky Wong,
WSJ,
6 Feb. 2023
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Zelensky 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,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
-
Interestingly, Ukrainian intelligence operatives provided HTS with 150 FPV drones and 200 operators in the weeks proceeding their offensive.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Searching for the source of the gunfire, police came upon Baker, who said he and his friend had been fired on during a holdup attempt, and the friend, Hudson, had been wounded.—
John Lynch,
Arkansas Online,
4 June 2025
-
The new president will face the challenge of rallying a society deeply scarred by the attempt at military rule and an export-heavy economy reeling from unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally.—
Hyunsu Yim,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
Because everybody’s offense has been better than Boston’s.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
31 May 2025
-
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 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share