onslaught

noun

on·​slaught ˈän-ˌslȯt 

ˈȯn-

: an especially fierce attack

… the tremendous onslaught across the Rhine …

—Winston Churchill

also : something resembling such an attack

an onslaught of technological changes

Employers are expecting an onslaught of recent college graduates.

Synonyms of onslaught

• attack
• assault
• offensive
• raid
• offense
• aggression
• strike

Examples of onslaught in a Sentence

an onslaught by the enemy

the massive onslaught of enemy troops caught the country by surprise

Recent Examples on the Web

But Seville must not only be loved, it also must be protected from the onslaught of mass tourism. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026

The new trailer shows Sauron’s evil army full of orcs, dragons and ringwraiths wreak havoc on Middle-Earth as the heroes fight back against the onslaught. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026

Organisms not resistant to this onslaught—anything from microbes and crops to whales and humans—would experience an almost violently severe sunburn. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

Florida Democratic Senate candidate Angie Nixon and independent progressive Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders countered the recent onslaught of campaign advertisements against her in a double-header rally in Gainesville Sunday. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

modification of Dutch aanslag act of striking; akin to Old English an on and to Old English slēan to strike — more at slay

First Known Use

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for onslaught

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

onslaught

noun

on·​slaught ˈän-ˌslȯt 

ˈȯn-

: a violent attack