ambush
noun
an act or instance of lying concealed so as to attack by surprise.
ambushed
-
past participleof ambush.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof ambush.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
ambushnounan act or instance of lying concealed so as to attack by surprise.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Think of it as a tax “prenup” with Uncle Sam that you settle up on your terms so the surviving spouse isn’t ambushed by higher rates down the road.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
Two batters later, Hernández ambushed a first-pitch slider.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
Braddock’s column was ambushed by French and Native American forces at the Battle of the Monongahela.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Two National Guardsmen who were ambushed on duty in Washington received Purple Hearts, one posthumously.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 25, 2026
April was ambushed by a quick pang of sympathy, remembering how it was—missing someone and having to face a new classroom.
From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
