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 complaint alleges that a white Mercedes-Benz registered to a relative of Song was found two days later in the same block as one of the other assailant’s residences.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
Ten assailants who were charged in a criminal complaint on Monday fled from the detention center, but were apprehended by additional responding officers.
—ABC News, 10 July 2025
Late Wednesday night, assailants armed with at least one rifle rolled up outside an album release party for a local drill rapper in River North and opened fire on a crowd gathered on the sidewalk.
—Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
American aid workers injured The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said the two American aid workers were injured on Saturday morning when assailants threw grenades at a distribution site in Khan Yunis.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for assailant
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Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
Ten assailants who were charged in a criminal complaint on Monday fled from the detention center, but were apprehended by additional responding officers.
—ABC News, 10 July 2025
Late Wednesday night, assailants armed with at least one rifle rolled up outside an album release party for a local drill rapper in River North and opened fire on a crowd gathered on the sidewalk.
—Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
American aid workers injured The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said the two American aid workers were injured on Saturday morning when assailants threw grenades at a distribution site in Khan Yunis.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 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 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
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