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.
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

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 4 Jul. 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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