assault 1 of 2

assault

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb assault contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of assault are assail, attack, bombard, and storm. While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught.

commandos assaulted the building from all sides

When could assail be used to replace assault?

While the synonyms assail and assault are close in meaning, assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots.

assailed the enemy with artillery fire

When is it sensible to use attack instead of assault?

Although the words attack and assault have much in common, attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle.

plan to attack the town at dawn

When would bombard be a good substitute for assault?

The words bombard and assault are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells.

bombarded the city nightly

When is storm a more appropriate choice than assault?

The words storm and assault can be used in similar contexts, but storm implies attempting to break into a defended position.

preparing to storm the fortress

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of assault
Noun
That is why the Fed is taking a cautious stance and trying to avoid pulling back prematurely from its assault on inflation. Jeanna Smialek, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Jan. 2023 Within days of his assault on White, Seneca allegedly attempted to kidnap a different man and allegedly kidnapped another, the Justice Department said in a previous statement. Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2023
Verb
In both cases, the women were at bars in Denver, got separated from their groups and were assaulted in a dark-colored car by a white man, according to the arrest affidavit. Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2025 The woman who Daniel Everts, now 30, allegedly assaulted filed a federal lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles County in 2019. Colleen Shalby, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for assault
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assault
Noun
  • Several celebrities have opened up about their experiences with Diddy, specifically his parties, since the Bad Boy co-founder was accused of rape, assault, and more.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 6 Mar. 2025
  • As part of a separate investigation, the Tate brothers are wanted by police in the U.K. over allegations of rape, human trafficking and tax evasion.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, about 5:15 p.m. Monday, deputies responded to the area's Valley community for a report of a dog attack.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
  • But in light of ongoing attacks against PayPal accounts using emails sent from genuine PayPal addresses, how will this help protect you from hackers and scammers?
    Davey Winder, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Social-media companies that violate the law could face penalties up to $50,000 per violation.
    Dara Kam, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2025
  • The hearing stemmed from a defense motion to suppress the investigative genetic genealogy evidence, as the defense argued the testing violated Kohberger’s constitutional rights and its results should be thrown out.
    Eric Levenson, CNN, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Earlier this week, the U.N. humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) reported that armed men had raided at least two hospitals in North Kivu’s capital Goma, abducting dozens of patients.
    Paul Tilsley, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Gregorios Bishara, priest of the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation, was martyred this morning at the hands of the pro-HTS armed factions that raided the city of Baniyas.
    William Lambers, Newsweek, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Poppy Alexander, a partner at Whistleblower Partners who represents whistleblowers reporting corporate FCPA violations, echoes this thinking.
    Kristen Edgreen Kaufman, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The violations for each of the officers included standard of conduct violations, death investigation procedure violations and report preparation violations.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The source of the misunderstanding appears to be a map in the 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac that incorrectly states that Maryland can expect an onslaught of Brood XIV (14) cicadas this year.
    Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Gascón, the first openly trans actor to be nominated for an Academy Award, faced an onslaught of backlash after old social media posts about George Floyd and Islam came to light.
    Tracy Wright, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • However, much to her dismay, she was then forced to treat Damien amid the chaos at the hospital as the heat dome in Seattle continued.
    Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Tracking the Trump administration’s rollback of climate and environmental policies can seem like being forced through a wormhole back in time.
    Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Four men, including Huttle, with Northwest Indiana ties were among the more than 1,500 people pardoned by Trump last week for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
    Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
  • The awards show went on against the odds but there was further drama on the night when actress Adèle Haenel and director Céline Sciamma stormed out of the auditorium in protest at the Best Director win for Polanski.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Assault.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assault. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

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