See the Dictionary Definition 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pouncing (on)
Verb
-
Phillips, a starter after transferring from Tennessee State, impressed scouts with his physical play, tackling and run defense.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026 -
Haven’t gotten around to tackling that deep spring cleaning checklist yet?—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The montage features Louis playing on the beach, swinging a bat, and jumping into the ocean—a snapshot of carefree moments typical of a normal childhood.—
Antonella Rossi,
Vanity Fair,
24 Apr. 2026
-
That never appeared more obvious than his final appearance, when the Chargers’ secondary began jumping some routes.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Anticipating that someone might tip off TMZ about his presence at Disney World, the Republican Florida senator Rick Scott posted a photo of himself mugging for the camera there.—
Paula Mejía,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Noem seemed to relish cruelty, and treated her job like a costume party, constantly mugging for cameras with guns and faux toughness as if the dismantling of lives and imprisoning even children was a game.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Winger Xavi Simons’ anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury will keep him out for some time, with striker Dominic Solanke also pulling up — albeit his ailment appears less serious — at Molineux to cast doubt over Spurs’ attacking firepower in the upcoming weeks.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
He was also found guilty of two counts of assault for attacking two other men with butcher knives.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rodriguez then got involved, reportedly grabbing the Disney employee's arm, shaking her and verbally assaulting both the actor playing Mirabel and the employee.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Allen was charged with discharging a weapon but has not been formally accused of assaulting a federal officer.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been assailing oil terminals and refineries deep inside Russia with long-range drones and missiles, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s economy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Trump has singled out Moore for criticism, blaming him for a Potomac sewage spill, assailing his handing of Baltimore's bridge collapse and invoking a controversy over his military record.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Pouncing (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pouncing%20%28on%29. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
