assault 1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈsȯlt How to pronounce assault (audio)
Definition of assaultnext
1
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence was arrested for his assault of the bystander

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violation
the act of forcing a person to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse attended a class teaching women self-defense against assault

Synonyms & Similar Words

assault

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to attack
to take sudden, violent action against was found guilty of assaulting an officer enemy forces assaulted the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to violate
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent was registered as a sex offender after assaulting the victim

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Joseph said he was repeatedly kicked and struck by rocks during the assault while his attackers also tried to destroy his camera. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 The autopsy found that Sharma died by suicide and there were no injuries to suggest assault or struggle. — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
Dad is an abusive alcoholic, prone to berating and even assaulting his daughter in front of guests, of which Vangelio is currently the only one. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026 Settlers alleged Finn Joughin assaulted a child, which lawyer Inbar Shaked Vardi denied. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for assault
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assault
  1. attack
  2. violation
  3. raid
  4. violate
  5. offensive
  6. rape
  7. storm
  8. force
Noun
  • The country's armed forces said that it was targeted by a missile attack that originated from Iranian territory.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Mamdani applauded police for stopping the attack but said an internal investigation would be conducted.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • If Paul Baker wins, Nina will report the zoning violation that is their household.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Other alleged violations — which total 23 in all — range from not having any smoke or carbon monoxide detectors throughout the property to failing to maintain the building in a structurally safe and stable condition.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of violation
Verb
  • Thieves on Thursday raided the Treasure of Villena -- one of the greatest Bronze Age gold collections -- at a museum in the Spanish city of Villena, taking most of the 50-plus mainly gold bracelets, bowls, bottles and other items on display.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Mundubile, who rejected the election result as neither free nor fair, had been in hiding since security forces raided his Lusaka home during the election period.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of raid
Verb
  • In its March 9 lawsuit, Anthropic alleged the government violated its right to free speech under the First Amendment to the Constitution by retaliating against its views on AI safety.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The administration is appealing a June ruling by a lower court that the ban probably violated the troops’ constitutional rights and cannot be enforced against those currently serving while the litigation continues.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of violate
Noun
  • The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has sued several states that have tried to treat prediction market sites as a form of gambling, a type of legal offensive the agency has never before embarked on.
    — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
  • More than four decades ago, after months of setbacks in the war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, thousands of young Iranian troops launched a surprise offensive that turned the tide.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of offensive
Noun
  • Flynn’s attorney, Jerry Giesler, had become famous defending Alexander Pantages, the theater-chain mogul, on a rape charge.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Some critics report being verbally abused, doxxed, and even threatened with rape and death by BJP supporters.
    — Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of rape
Verb
  • Such mutinous talk only heightened conservative Justices’ sense that the barbarians were storming the gate.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Young people armed with machetes stormed the site of the funeral, forcing the team to flee and injuring one member, a representative told the Associated Press.
    — Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of storm
Verb
  • As more cars wrecked behind the incident, NASCAR was forced to throw the caution flag — freezing the field with Preece in front.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes, operators were forced to drain one pond and divert its water to save fish in another, the Hungarian Aquaculture and Fisheries Inter-branch Organization said in early August.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of force

Phrases Containing assault

Browse Nearby Words

assassins
assault
assault boat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Assault.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assault. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on assault

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about assault

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All