surprise attack

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.

At the end of this past February, he launched a surprise attack in the middle of negotiations, which were going pretty well.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Egypt and other Arab nations mounted a surprise attack on Israel and scored early victories.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

If Venezuela or any other country launched a surprise attack on the United States, I wouldn’t want the courts to monkey-wrench our prompt response.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2025

The Russian border region of Kursk came under a surprise attack last week, leading Russian authorities to declare a state of emergency in the area.

From BBC • Aug. 14, 2024

“The Japanese in a predawn surprise attack have destroyed the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. I repeat. The White House has confirmed that the Japanese...”

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson