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
Officials have launched a major operation to investigate the shooting and locate the assailants responsible for the attack, per CBS News.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 22 June 2025
Cops were still looking for the assailant late Wednesday.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
The incident is the latest in a string of political violence aimed at public officials and their families, including a hammer-wielding assailant who broke into former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's house and attacked her spouse, and fire set at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Only one of the assailants, a servant named Hugh Colne, was charged in the case and imprisoned at Newgate in 1342.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for assailant
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Bailey Richards, People.com, 22 June 2025
Cops were still looking for the assailant late Wednesday.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
The incident is the latest in a string of political violence aimed at public officials and their families, including a hammer-wielding assailant who broke into former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's house and attacked her spouse, and fire set at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Only one of the assailants, a servant named Hugh Colne, was charged in the case and imprisoned at Newgate in 1342.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 13 June 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 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
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