Thesaurus results for AMBUSHES

ambushes 1 of 2

noun

plural of ambush

as in attacks

a setup in which hidden attackers lie in wait revolutionaries laid in ambush for the king along the route his carriage would travel

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as in traps

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

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ambushes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of ambush

as in assaults

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

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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 ambushes

Noun

With roads around the hospital unsafe, transferring patients to other facilities was not an option in the first hours of the attack, while sending ambulances into the field risked exposing them to Hamas ambushes. — Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Social Media Capture The underlying tactic is not new, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces having previously used armed FPV drones to conduct roadside ambushes. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Stassi is no stranger to an ambush; one of her most iconic Vanderpump Rules scenes remains one of the best ambushes reality TV’s ever seen. — Caroline Framke, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 Such fleets could patrol submarine cable routes, conduct searches, stage ambushes, and coordinate with underwater sensors, surface vessels, and aerial drones to support future maritime military operations. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026 These columns were the target of frequent ambushes, as were the trains and buses that carried refugees across the new borders. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 Humans prepare for warfare with more surveillance, taking to higher ground to gather information, conducting ambushes and raids, and quietly spying on enemy territory to avoid detection. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 July 2026 By his spiritual discernment, the prophet Elisha was repeatedly able to warn the king of Israel about ambushes planned by the king of Syria. — Liesl Ehmke, Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2026 Cuba also maintains elite forces trained for counter-special-operations missions, guerrilla warfare, ambushes, sabotage and close protection of senior leaders. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026

Verb

All seems lost when a group of Stormtroopers ambushes the crew, but IG-11 heroically sacrifices himself to save them. — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026 Thurman stars as The Bride, left for dead after her former boss and lover Bill ambushes her wedding rehearsal, shooting her in the head and stealing her unborn child. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 29 Nov. 2025 In the finale, Aggie — who has already been on the run from the authorities after Nile framed her for the kidnapping and murder of Teddy Fenig — ambushes Nina at her gallery and tries to convince her that Nile killed Maddie and was also responsible for Teddy’s death. — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025 In the Kill Bill movies, Uma Thurman stars as The Bride, left for dead after her former boss and lover Bill ambushes her wedding rehearsal, shooting her in the head and stealing her unborn child. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambushes

Noun

That has included arson attacks on Jewish sites that Britain says were carried out by Iranian proxies.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
The attacks came during the World Petroleum Congress in Riyadh.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of attacks

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 traps

Verb

Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

— Christina Fan, CBS News, 7 June 2026
Any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members can lead to penalties of up to $43,658 per violation, according to the FAA.

— Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 3 May 2026

Definition of assaults

Verb

Each step sends a ripple through the spongy, thin mat, a slow undulating motion beneath your feet that surprises the senses, disorienting yet simultaneously strangely delightful.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
After more than 13 years of working together, Jordan rarely surprises me.

— Alla Adam, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of surprises

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ambushers

ambushes

ambushing

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

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Synonyms of ambushes

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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