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 WambaughExamples of assailant in a Sentence
the darkness prevented me from getting a good look at my assailant
Recent Examples on the Web
The evidence that Song was the shooter comes from a green mask the assailant wore from which samples that tested positive for Song’s DNA were taken and from interviews with cooperating sources, FBI Special Agent Clark Wiethorn testified at the hearing.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
The emergency services Loeb was hearing were headed to the nearby Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, where an assailant rammed a car into people before stabbing several members of the community, killing two.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
That would make the pills found in Megan’s system a cover-up by the assailant, and she would have been forced to take them.
—Brian Brant, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
These events underscore ongoing challenges in securing these bases, particularly when personnel bring personal weapons, mental health issues arise, or external assailants breach security perimeters.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assailant
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Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
The emergency services Loeb was hearing were headed to the nearby Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, where an assailant rammed a car into people before stabbing several members of the community, killing two.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
That would make the pills found in Megan’s system a cover-up by the assailant, and she would have been forced to take them.
—Brian Brant, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
These events underscore ongoing challenges in securing these bases, particularly when personnel bring personal weapons, mental health issues arise, or external assailants breach security perimeters.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assailant
Cite this Entry
“Assailant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assailant. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
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