coup de main: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal
Quick answer
What does “coup de main” mean?
A sudden, forceful attack intended to achieve rapid victory.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sudden, forceful attack intended to achieve rapid victory; a surprise military assault.
A swift, decisive action undertaken to achieve an objective quickly, often in contexts beyond the military, such as politics or business.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly encountered in British historical and political writing. In American English, it is rarer and might be considered slightly more pretentious.
Connotations
In both varieties, it carries connotations of sophistication due to its French origin, but also of decisive, potentially ruthless action.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both. More likely found in specialised military history texts, highbrow journalism, or academic political analysis than in general usage.
Grammar
How to Use “coup de main” in a Sentence
[Subject: Army/Force/Party] executed a coup de main on/against [Target: Fortress/Town/Opposition]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coup de main” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might describe a hostile takeover bid executed with maximum speed and secrecy.
Academic
Used in military history, political science, and strategic studies to describe specific tactical operations.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
A formal military term for a specific type of offensive operation.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “coup de main”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “coup de main”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coup de main”
- Using it as a synonym for any 'coup' (it is specifically a rapid assault).
- Misspelling: 'coup de mane', 'coup de maine'.
- Incorrect pronunciation: pronouncing 'main' as English /meɪn/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A 'coup d'état' is the overthrow of a government. A 'coup de main' is a rapid military assault, which could be used as part of a coup d'état, but is a different, more tactical term.
In the French pronunciation, 'main' is pronounced like the nasalised vowel /mæ̃/ (similar to 'manh' in Portuguese). In an anglicised version, it is often pronounced /ˈmæn/ (like 'man').
It is not recommended for everyday use as it is a very specialised, formal term. Most native speakers would use 'surprise attack', 'raid', or 'blitz' instead.
The plural is 'coups de main'. Both 'coup' and 'main' are pluralised in French, though the phrase is often treated as invariable in English.
A sudden, forceful attack intended to achieve rapid victory.
Coup de main is usually formal in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'COUP' means a sudden overthrow + 'DE MAIN' sounds like 'of hand' – a sudden strike 'by hand' or force.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL/MILITARY CONFLICT IS A PHYSICAL BLOW (A swift, knockout punch).
Practice
Quiz
'Coup de main' is most accurately used to describe: