raid

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a hostile or predatory incursion
b
: a surprise attack by a small force
2
a
: a brief foray outside one's usual sphere
b
: a sudden invasion by officers of the law
c
: a daring operation against a competitor
d
: the recruiting of personnel (such as faculty, executives, or athletes) from competing organizations
3
: the act of mulcting public money
4
: an attempt by professional operators to depress stock prices by concerted selling

raid

2 of 2

verb

raided; raiding; raids

intransitive verb

: to conduct or take part in a raid

transitive verb

: to make a raid on

Examples of raid in a Sentence

Noun They launched a raid against the enemy. Weapons were also seized during the drug raid. They caught five smugglers in the raid. Verb The village was raided often by neighboring tribes. Police raided the house and found drugs. Federal agents raided the warehouse, seizing stolen property and arresting five smugglers. She raided her sister's closet to find something to wear to the party.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Detainees live in fear of raids; soldiers have beaten people in front of their tents. Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 West Bank militancy surges as Israel steps up raids and arrests The measures, which Israel says were taken for security reasons, have led to massive job losses, unpaid salaries and a steep drop in local production, according to the World Bank. Claire Parker, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 Just hours after Monday’s raid became public, the inmates’ attorneys reiterated their calls for more oversight of the prison. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Last year, the government began returning the materials that agents had seized in the 2017 raids. Jesse Drucker, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Imran and Riyad pointed to relatives enduring warrantless raids by the Israel Defense Force, their belongings confiscated or damaged as soldiers rummaged through their homes. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 To meet quotas, authorities also use coercive methods such as conducting raids on factories, dormitories, and even restaurants looking for men to enlist, and pressuring immigrants and inmates. Dara Massicot, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2024 Social media groups regularly organize raids along Hines Drive, which runs parallel to the Rouge River from Dearborn to Northville, to hunt down the water and grass Pokémon. Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2024 Republicans on social media are rallying behind an Amish farmer in Pennsylvania who suffered a police raid last month for selling milk in violation of government regulations. Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
The country's powerful gangs have attacked government targets, burned police stations and raided prisons, leading to the release of thousands of inmates. Michael Lee, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2024 But Devore acknowledged a former district director for his organization who has since resigned was arrested and charged with facilitating a cockfight after authorities in Carter County raided a cockfighting pit with more than 100 people in attendance. CBS News, 14 Mar. 2024 From there, the Vikings embarked on a conquest of Britain, raiding coastal communities with increasingly large and brutal armies. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024 Criminals who steal these keys can raid the boxes for checks, cash and other valuables. The Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2024 When Israeli forces raid Palestinian towns and cities, Palestinian security forces are instructed tostay inside. Loveday Morris, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024 Yet, some workers have greeted the new programs warily, venting on social media about the dangers of allowing a state government to raid your paycheck. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2024 Soon enough, the occupation turned personal: Armed troops repeatedly raided their home, insisting that weapons were hidden there. Sabra Ayres, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024 Both animals have long claws and sharp teeth, but sloth bears use theirs to raid bee hives and dig for grubs. Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'raid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English (Scots) rade, from Old English rād ride, raid — more at road

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1848, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of raid was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near raid

Cite this Entry

“Raid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raid. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

raid

1 of 2 noun
: a sudden attack or invasion

raid

2 of 2 verb
: to make a raid on
raider noun

More from Merriam-Webster on raid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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