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

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 Even in areas not under its direct control, the widespread sympathy in rural areas allows JNIM to set up ambushes along the main roads and dominate the main supply routes into the capitals, especially in Mali. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 10 May 2026 Service members could face ambushes en route, and specialized units would need to extract the uranium. — Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 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

One part of this offensive doctrine is the persistent but unpredictable attacks on tankers leaving the Gulf – so as to keep oil prices high.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russia this year, with long-range missiles and swarms of drones targeting military industries and energy facilities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of attacks

Noun

Watch the Margaret Todd and other sailboats glide past as lobster boats head out to check their traps.

— Morgan Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
In an effort to avoid custom-design traps, the Dutch carrier chose an off-the-shelf model from seat manufacturer Stelia that was already flying on sister airline Air France.

— Edward Russell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 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

Noun

The team covers 6 to 12 miles a day on foot, tracking poachers and their snares.

— Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026
Recounting her boyfriend calling the police on her during their fraught break-up, the chorus rings out over rowdy snares like a brutal playground taunt.

— Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026

Definition of snares

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“Ambushes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambushes. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of ambushes

noun

verb

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