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🇩🇪German Source WordCode: DE

Überraschungsangriff

Pronunciation / Transliteration: /yːbɐˈʁaʃʊŋsˌʔanɡʁɪf/

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Sneak-attack/ˈsniːk.əˌtæk/
nounadjectiveCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #14500 frequency
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🇩🇪 Example Sentence in German:

"Der Überraschungsangriff traf die Grenzposten völlig unvorbereitet."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    An unexpected assault or offensive launched without prior warning or indication.

    "The defensive line was completely unprepared for the team's sneak-attack in the final seconds of the game."
As adjective
  1. 1

    Characterized by or executed as a surprise assault.

    "They launched a sneak-attack strategy that caught their competitors entirely off guard."
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Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived by combining the verb 'sneak', originating in the late 16th century meaning to move stealthily, with the noun 'attack', which entered English in the late 16th century from French attaquer and Italian attaccare. The compound noun emerged in American English during the mid-20th century, initially popularized in military contexts before expanding into metaphorical and general usage.

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