# raid

/ˈɹeɪd/ (US) · /ɹˈeɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/raid
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. police or military attack

noun · CEFR B2

a sudden, surprise attack by the police or soldiers to catch someone or find something illegal.

For teachers: a surprise operation by law enforcement or military forces to secure a location, make arrests, or seize illicit goods.

- The police carried out a dawn raid on the house to look for stolen goods.
- Following a lengthy undercover investigation, federal agents conducted a coordinated raid on the warehouse, seizing several tons of contraband.

### 2. taking something quickly

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a quick visit to a place to take something, often food.

For teachers: a brief, often humorous or informal incursion into a place to obtain something, typically food or supplies.

- The teenagers made a midnight raid on the fridge and ate all the leftover pizza.
- After the long hike, the children staged a successful raid on the pantry, depleting the entire stock of biscuits within minutes.

### 3. gaming group activity

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a large group of players in an online game who work together to defeat a very strong enemy.

For teachers: a coordinated mission in a massively multiplayer online game requiring a large group of players to overcome high-level challenges.

- Our guild is planning a massive raid for Saturday night to defeat the final boss.
- The raid leader spent hours coordinating the different character classes to ensure the group had enough healing power for the final encounter.

### 5. to attack or search

verb · CEFR B2

to enter a place suddenly to steal something or to look for something illegal.

For teachers: to conduct a sudden, forceful entry into a location for the purpose of seizure, plunder, or arrest.

- Thieves raided the gallery and stole three valuable paintings.
- Customs officials raided the vessel upon its arrival in the port, acting on a tip-off regarding undeclared cargo hidden in the hull.

## Examples

- The police conducted a surprise raid on the warehouse early this morning.
- During the dawn raid, investigators seized several computers and boxes of financial documents to use as evidence in the fraud case.
- The historical archives detail a daring naval raid that successfully disabled the enemy's coastal defenses, allowing the main fleet to pass through the strait safely under the cover of darkness.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.