pounced; pouncing
1
a
: to swoop upon and seize something with or as if with talons
b
: to seize upon and make capital of something (such as another's blunder or an opportunity)
2
: to make a sudden assault or approach
pounced; pouncing
: to dust, rub, finish, or stencil with pounce
1
: a fine powder formerly used to prevent ink from spreading
2
: a fine powder for making stenciled patterns
Synonyms
Examples of pounce in a Sentence
Verb (1)
the muggers pounced on the unsuspecting tourists as soon as they rounded the corner
Recent Examples on the Web
Peter Cordi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 June 2024
Opponents pounced, and red-state governors such as Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Texas’s Greg Abbott scored political points by sending migrants north, often to liberal enclaves.
—Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Washington Post, 18 June 2024
Prosecutors say Wright then pounced on Nelson, slamming him to the ground, breaking the transit worker’s collarbone and nose.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 19 Mar. 2024
China has positioned itself to take advantage of today’s status quo, ready to pounce if the treaty system fails.
—Elizabeth Buchanan, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pounce 
Verb
In other words, the former president sees it as an opportunity to pounce on.
—Peter Cordi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 June 2024
Opponents pounced, and red-state governors such as Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Texas’s Greg Abbott scored political points by sending migrants north, often to liberal enclaves.
—Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Washington Post, 18 June 2024
Prosecutors say Wright then pounced on Nelson, slamming him to the ground, breaking the transit worker’s collarbone and nose.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 19 Mar. 2024
China has positioned itself to take advantage of today’s status quo, ready to pounce if the treaty system fails.
—Elizabeth Buchanan, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pounce
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pounce.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pounce
Cite this Entry
“Pounce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pounce. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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