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
Deputies already searching the area arrived at the home within one minute, and the man opened fire on responding officers in what Mikesell described as an ambush. — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 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
Verb
While there was a period of harmony between the two coasts, that imploded after Shakur was ambushed at a Times Square recording studio in November 1994. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026 On the day Tran was ambushed, the vehicle circled the area 16 times before the shooting, according to investigators. — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 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
  • Detectives charged him with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon for the vicious attack that killed his mother, 57-year-old Josefa Soto de Guzman, on Friday.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Just like Ejva, who suddenly needs to learn how to protect the herd and make her family proud, even when a violent attack leaves her struggling.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Speaking with the New York Times in December, Teresa Griffin, a wildlife manager with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, shared that the group traps and releases about 60 beavers a year.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • From plates and knives not being clean to flies stuck on traps, health inspectors in Missouri and Kansas found numerous violations at Kansas City-area restaurants last week.
    — Joseph Hernandez August 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of trap
Verb
  • Scott and Dylan walked away from faculty members and the video production crew and and Scott allegedly assaulted her in a janitor’s closet.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The reality star and superyacht bosun’s statement comes after Rolling Stone reported last week that he was arrested in Australia last December for assaulting an unnamed 29-year-old woman at a Sydney-area apartment complex.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of assault
Noun
  • There’s one guest, though, who took him by surprise the most.
    — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Robert is then crowned king, much to Thom and Bret’s surprise.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of surprise
Noun
  • The second was a one-handed snare in the corner of the end zone in the opening minutes of the third quarter to give Mandarin a double-digit lead in an eventual 38-21 win over Hollywood McArthur.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026
  • On the final note, when the sticks hit the snare for the last time, Ryan dove on top of the crowd.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of snare
Verb
  • What had been perhaps Buxton’s finest overall season has been waylaid by a hip impingement that’s twice landed him on the IL and wrecked his production even when on the field since the start of July.
    — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Or the family might have simply gotten waylaid by other plans.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 27 July 2026
Definition of waylay
Verb
  • An Arkansas State Police trooper was captured on dashcam footage yanking the passenger of a vehicle by his hair and punching him in the face after a high-speed chase that ended in the streets of Blytheville.
    — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Domestic suppliers are projected to capture 38% of the market by value in 2028, compared with 26% last year.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ambush

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ambush

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