ambush 1 of 2

noun

Definition of ambushnext
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

ambush

2 of 2

verb

ˈam-ˌbu̇sh How to pronounce ambush (audio)
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

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 ambush
Noun
The ambush-style slaying, carried out in broad daylight, rattled law enforcement and the surrounding Palmdale community. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Federal agents have arrested a woman officials say supplied a gun to the felon who killed four police officers in a 2024 ambush in Charlotte, officials said Monday. — Andrew Dys, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
The White Sox ambushed Houston ace Hunter Brown in a four-run first inning. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026 However, the night took a turn when Kanye West ambushed Swift’s acceptance speech, creating one of the most infamous moments in the awards show’s history — and subsequently sparking a years-long feud with Swift. — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ambush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambush
  1. attack
  2. trap
  3. assault
  4. surprise
  5. snare
  6. waylay
  7. capture
Noun
  • The claim that Ukraine has halted its strikes on energy sites could not be independently verified, but neither Russian officials nor media have reported Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries since the energy truce was announced.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Before the current attacks, the airport handled roughly 110,000 passengers a day — similar in scale to Miami International airport.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Sticky traps with dead insects on them were seen under dry storage area and on the side of a deep freezer.
    — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
  • These traps kill rats, but also gather information about movements and population sizes, according to the health district.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of trap
Verb
  • The men talked about who would assault the woman beforehand, took photos and recorded the assault, which was also seen on a security system feed at the home in Sullivan's Island, an affluent suburb of Charleston, state agents said.
    — MEG KINNARD, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • An assistant football coach at a Detroit high school faces assault with intent to murder, home invasion and related charges in a shooting that injured a 7-year-old child and her mother.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of assault
Noun
  • There were some surprises in the rankings, too, with the Fendi Spy bag seeing a 127 percent spike in average resale value amid this year’s Y2K revival.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Each episode, as Banijay Friends & Family notes, is told with a warm blend of humor and surprise.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of surprise
Noun
  • In California, 387 were killed with neck snares, 44 with foothold traps and 2,200 shot with firearms.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Chase and Tee Higgins turn potential incompletions into 6-point snares.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of snare
Verb
  • In the film Rap World (which Bensinger also edited), Bensinger, O’Malley, and Rahill play suburban deadbeats eager to make an album, each man waylaid by his own hubris and distractions.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • But in the meantime, on their nut-selling quest, Zuriko and Gela are unfortunately — though perhaps inevitably, given that in these parts Murphy’s law is the only one strictly observed — waylaid by highway robbers.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of waylay
Verb
  • Meta's popular smart glasses can take photos, capture video and record voice notes or reminders.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos,Annie Palmer, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026
  • All three ships would be based out of Port Canaveral to support capture out at sea of the New Glenn rocket first stages after launch.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of capture

Browse Nearby Words

ambuscading
ambush
ambushed
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Cite this Entry

“Ambush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambush. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ambush

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ambush

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