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
In addition, the Broward lab was not equipped to perform the complicated analysis of the data that might exclude Duckett as the assailant.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
The report says investigators found five casings outside the room, indicating this is one place the assailant stopped and reloaded.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The assailants repeatedly rammed their vehicle into a police cruiser, Beere said.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
For dozens of Haitian Americans who attended the two-month trial in downtown Miami, the outcome was joyful — even though the voluminous evidence did not reveal the names of the mastermind behind the deadly plot or the assailant who fatally shot Moïse.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for assailant
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Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
The report says investigators found five casings outside the room, indicating this is one place the assailant stopped and reloaded.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The assailants repeatedly rammed their vehicle into a police cruiser, Beere said.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
For dozens of Haitian Americans who attended the two-month trial in downtown Miami, the outcome was joyful — even though the voluminous evidence did not reveal the names of the mastermind behind the deadly plot or the assailant who fatally shot Moïse.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for assailant
Cite this Entry
“Assailant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assailant. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
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