onslaught

noun

on·​slaught ˈän-ˌslȯt How to pronounce onslaught (audio)
ˈȯn-
: an especially fierce attack
the tremendous onslaught across the RhineSir Winston Churchill
also : something resembling such an attack
an onslaught of technological changes
Employers are expecting an onslaught of recent college graduates.

Examples of onslaught in a Sentence

an onslaught by the enemy the massive onslaught of enemy troops caught the country by surprise
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 show issued a similar warning to viewers last year before the season six reunion as contestants had received an onslaught of online criticism. Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 Miller and his platoon not only survive the onslaught in Normandy, but they are tasked with the unthinkable. James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025 The only person Charlie can think of with the skills to handle that onslaught of threats is, of course, Beatrix Hasp herself. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 July 2025 In the onslaught of legal action and activism that followed, the EPA during President Donald Trump’s first term took an assertive stance, vowing to combat the spread of PFAS nationwide. Anna Clark, ProPublica, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for onslaught

Word History

Etymology

modification of Dutch aanslag act of striking; akin to Old English an on and to Old English slēan to strike — more at slay

First Known Use

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of onslaught was circa 1625

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Cite this Entry

“Onslaught.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onslaught. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

onslaught

noun
on·​slaught ˈän-ˌslȯt How to pronounce onslaught (audio)
ˈȯn-
: a violent attack

More from Merriam-Webster on onslaught

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