assailant

noun

as·​sail·​ant ə-ˈsā-lənt How to pronounce assailant (audio)
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
Detectives speculated that she may have been punched on the chin, perhaps knocked unconscious by her assailant.Joseph Wambaugh

Examples of assailant in a Sentence

the darkness prevented me from getting a good look at my assailant
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 surviving assailant, Bilal Abu Ghanem, was freed in February from his three consecutive life sentences for murder as part of the last Israeli ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas. Matt Bradley, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025 Morales grabbed a patio chair to fend off his attackers before running away with his assailants in tow, prosecutors said. City News Service, Oc Register, 15 Oct. 2025 An assailant in a mask and dark hoodie allegedly approached a car and stabbed the two young men inside late overnight, Stoneham Police stated Sunday. Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025 She was later seen knocking an assailant back a few dozen feet with a simple swing of a metal tray. Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for assailant

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of assailant was in 1523

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Cite this Entry

“Assailant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assailant. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Legal Definition

assailant

noun
as·​sail·​ant ə-ˈsā-lənt How to pronounce assailant (audio)
: a person who commits criminal assault

More from Merriam-Webster on assailant

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