raid
Americannoun
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a sudden assault or attack, as upon something to be seized or suppressed.
a police raid on a gambling ring.
- Synonyms:
- seizure
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Military. a sudden attack on the enemy, as by air or by a small land force.
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a vigorous, large-scale effort to lure away a competitor's employees, members, etc.
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Finance. a concerted attempt of speculators to force stock prices down.
verb (used with object)
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to make a raid on.
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to steal from; loot.
a worry that the investment fund is being raided.
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to entice away from another.
Large companies are raiding key personnel from smaller companies.
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to indulge oneself by taking from, especially in order to eat.
raiding the cookie jar.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
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to make a raid against (a person, thing, etc)
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to sneak into (a place) in order to take something, steal, etc
raiding the larder
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have raidedperfect
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has raidedperfect 3rd person singular
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raidingparticiple
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am raidingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been raidingperfect progressive
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is raidingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been raidingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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raidssingular 3rd person
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are raidingprogressive
Past
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had raidedperfect
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were raidingprogressive plural
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was raidingprogressive singular
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had been raidingperfect progressive
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raidedsimple
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raidedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of raid
1375–1425; Middle English (north and Scots ) ra ( i ) de, Old English rād expedition, literally, a riding; doublet of road
Explanation
A raid is a military attack, especially a quick surprise attack. The word comes from the military but has spread out — police might raid a shady nightclub to find bad guys, or a babysitter might raid the refrigerator. When an army launches a raid, you can say they raid, or attack abruptly. This verb can also be used to mean "search" or "enter unexpectedly," as when police officers raid a suspect's home or summer campers' raid a neighboring cabin. The military meaning is the oldest, and the word comes from the Scottish rade, "a riding" or "a journey," from the Old English rad, which is also the root of road.
Vocabulary lists containing raid
Chinese History - Introductory
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Indiana Jones Vocabulary
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Chinese History - Middle School and High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Shortly after, air raid sirens sounded in neighboring Gulf nations Kuwait and Bahrain -- both US allies -- and AFP correspondents in both countries heard explosions.
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026
As word of the raid spread, a crowd of protesters outside the warehouse began to grow.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
Three gold bracelets were also taken in the raid, prompting outrage in Romania and raising questions about security for artefacts on loan to other countries.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Alberto Carvalho remains in limbo after a February FBI raid of his home and office.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
Every night I pulled the black air raid curtains to and read on and on, huddled close to our bedroom lamp.
From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
