ambush

American  

[am-boosh] / ˈæm bʊʃ /

noun

1. an act or instance of lying concealed so as to attack by surprise.

   The highwaymen waited in ambush near the road.

2. an act or instance of attacking unexpectedly from a concealed position.

3. the concealed position itself.

   They fired from ambush.

4. those who attack suddenly and unexpectedly from a concealed position.

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verb (used with object)

1. to attack from ambush.

ambush British  

/ ˈæmbʊʃ /

noun

1. the act of waiting in a concealed position in order to launch a surprise attack

2. a surprise attack from such a position

3. the concealed position from which such an attack is launched

4. the person or persons waiting to launch such an attack

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verb

1. to lie in wait (for)

2. (tr) to attack suddenly from a concealed position

Other Word Forms

• ambusher
  noun
• ambushlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ambush

1250–1300; (v.) Middle English enbuss ( h ) en < Middle French embuschier to place men in ambush, literally, to set in the woods, equivalent to em- im- ¹ + busch- (< Vulgar Latin *busca wood, forest < Germanic *busk- heavy stick) + -ier infinitive suffix; (noun) earlier enbusshe < Middle French embusche, derivative of the v.

Explanation

An ambush is a sneak attack. To ambush your enemy, hide and wait for him to come near and then pounce on him. In war or in backyards, an ambush is a great way to surprise someone. Ambush comes from a Latin word meaning “to place in a wood,” and hiding in the woods behind a tree is a classic starting point for an ambush. The actual attack is called an ambush, but ambush is also a verb, so you can ambush your mom by dropping water balloons on her head from a tree. Please don’t tell her where you got that idea.

Example Sentences

Growing to around 1 meter in length, the fish was likely an ambush predator that hunted smaller animals in freshwater systems.

From Science Daily • May 25, 2026

Czesław is an ethnic Pole in the Red Army who escaped a ruthless German ambush.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Given its massive build, the snake was likely slow-moving and relied on ambush tactics, similar to modern anacondas.

From Science Daily • Apr. 29, 2026

Researchers believe the behaviour may involve ambush attacks from below, with dolphins potentially unaware of the threat.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

So the ambush was sent out post-haste, and everything within the castle was at sixes and sevens.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• assault
• surround
• trap
• waylay