pincer movement

noun

1
: a military attack by two coordinated forces that close in on an enemy position from different directions
2
: a combination of two forces acting against an opposing force

Examples of pincer movement in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The main effort of Russia’s ground campaign would be to create a pincer movement from the north that encircled Kyiv and enveloped the bulk of Ukraine’s ground forces in the eastern part of the country. Michael Kofman, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2022 In 1846, two separate U.S. contingents executed a pincer movement, by sea and by land, to capture the ports of Alta California and the territory of Nuevo México. Enrique Krauze, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2013 The teams then brief each other in their own temporal pincer movement. Nate Jones, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2024 Cue the potential for a pincer movement swelling Meta’s messaging at Apple’s expense. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pincer movement 

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pincer movement was in 1915

Dictionary Entries Near pincer movement

Cite this Entry

“Pincer movement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pincer%20movement. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!