assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt 
plural assailants
: a person who attacks someone violently
an assault by an unknown assailant
She could identify the assailant and his two accomplices, and she wanted to press charges.—
Jennifer Baumgardner
Jennifer BaumgardnerDetectives speculated that she may have been punched on the chin, perhaps knocked unconscious by her assailant.—Joseph Wambaugh
Joseph Wambaugh
Examples of assailant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Shoup Neumann's letter criticized gaps in training and burdening teachers with the responsibilities of confronting an assailant with a gun while keeping an entire classroom safe.
—Melissa Brown, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
During the attack, Goldberg-Polin took refuge with friends in a bomb shelter that Hamas assailants subsequently targeted with grenades.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Police guard the perimeter of the Christ the Good Shepherd Church, where a stabbing occurred, in Sydney’s western suburb of Wakeley on April 15, 2024, after an angry mob converged demanding vengeance on the alleged assailant, whom police barricaded inside the church for his safety.
—Chad De Guzman, TIME, 23 Apr. 2024
Despite seeking a restraining order against her assailant, Del Mar’s efforts to safeguard herself and her family were tragically insufficient.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2024
When Nicole hears that the assailant was released from prison earlier than expected, Tanner’s obsession spirals out of control.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
Joel Cauchi, the assailant, had a history of mental illness and trouble with women and a fascination with knives.
—Mark Baker and Rod McGuirk, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2024
The assailants left Zeraati’s iPhone, brand-new AirPods, pricey watch, and wallet full of cash untouched.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2024
That scene, a single, three-minute take, is framed like a sacred medieval tapestry, with Oh’s assailants wielding sticks and pipes the way knights might hold spears.
—Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Melissa Brown, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
During the attack, Goldberg-Polin took refuge with friends in a bomb shelter that Hamas assailants subsequently targeted with grenades.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Police guard the perimeter of the Christ the Good Shepherd Church, where a stabbing occurred, in Sydney’s western suburb of Wakeley on April 15, 2024, after an angry mob converged demanding vengeance on the alleged assailant, whom police barricaded inside the church for his safety.
—Chad De Guzman, TIME, 23 Apr. 2024
Despite seeking a restraining order against her assailant, Del Mar’s efforts to safeguard herself and her family were tragically insufficient.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2024
When Nicole hears that the assailant was released from prison earlier than expected, Tanner’s obsession spirals out of control.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
Joel Cauchi, the assailant, had a history of mental illness and trouble with women and a fascination with knives.
—Mark Baker and Rod McGuirk, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2024
The assailants left Zeraati’s iPhone, brand-new AirPods, pricey watch, and wallet full of cash untouched.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2024
That scene, a single, three-minute take, is framed like a sacred medieval tapestry, with Oh’s assailants wielding sticks and pipes the way knights might hold spears.
—Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assailant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near assailant
Cite this Entry
“Assailant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assailant. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
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