ambushed
Caught off guard
Ambushed is the past tense of ambush—to attack by surprise from a concealed position.
Soldiers ambush enemy convoys; predators ambush prey.
The word extends to any unexpected confrontation: She was ambushed by reporters outside the courthouse.
To feel ambushed is to be caught off guard by unwelcome questions or accusations.
Surprised by unforeseen impact
- caught off guardSurprised when unprepared
- startledAbruptly surprised or alarmed
- shockedDeeply startled or appalled
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
unaware · unprepared · taken aback · stunned · jolted · alarmed · overwhelmed · sideswiped
Exchange of gunfire
- skirmishBrief, limited combat
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- guerrillaIrregular armed fighter
- insurgentsThose fighting established authority
patrol · convoy · troops · soldiers · militants · combat · counterattack · IED
Device for catching prey
- lureThing that tempts
- decoyFalse target for misdirection
- baitLure for prey
- entrapmentDefense against induced criminality
pitfall · setup · lying in wait · concealment · kill zone · chokepoint · bottleneck · dead end
Maned African feline
At the sides of
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- pincerGrasping claw organ
- diversionRedirection of attention
- feintDeceptive mock attack
concealment · reconnaissance · infiltration · positioning · timing · terrain · cover · vantage point
blindsided
Surprised by unforeseen impact
- caught off guardSurprised when unprepared
- startledAbruptly surprised or alarmed
- shockedDeeply startled or appalled
unsuspecting · unaware · unprepared · taken aback · stunned · jolted · alarmed · overwhelmed · sideswiped · broadsided
firefight
Exchange of gunfire
- skirmishBrief, limited combat
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- guerrillaIrregular armed fighter
insurgents · patrol · convoy · troops · soldiers · militants · combat · counterattack · IED · roadside
snare
Device for catching prey
entrapment · pitfall · setup · lying in wait · concealment · kill zone · chokepoint · bottleneck · dead end · enclosed
lion
Maned African feline
crocodile · wolf · spider · mantis · python · hawk · owl · shark · orca · pounce
flanking
At the sides of
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- pincerGrasping claw organ
- diversionRedirection of attention
feint · concealment · reconnaissance · infiltration · positioning · timing · terrain · cover · vantage point · element of surprise
- wrongedabused, mistreated, victimized, exploited, oppressed
- dupeddeceived, tricked, fooled, conned, swindled
- stuckjammed, clogged, trapped, stuck in mud, snowed in
- unarmedweaponless, bare hands, empty hands, fists, unarmed combat
- unreadyunprepared, ill-prepared, ill-equipped, unready, not ready
- military statusactive duty, enlisted, retired, deployed, veteran
ambushedforewarned
Notified of coming trouble
warned · alerted · prepared · lying in wait · ready
- ambush predatorHunter that strikes from concealment
- ambush interviewSurprise on-camera confrontation
- ambush tacticsSurprise attacks from concealment
- ambush journalismSurprise confrontational reporting technique