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

Mair and Riley Nelson continued the offensive onslaught in the second quarter as the Blue Devils took a 39-31 lead into the half. —Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026

An onslaught of advertising is expected in the coming weeks, as county officials prepare to start mailing ballots by May 4. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026

For Iran's leadership, by contrast, merely outlasting the onslaught could be seen as victory. —Jon Gambrell and David Rising The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 27 Mar. 2026

An onslaught of legal battles and a looming referendum could still decide whether the gerrymandered map will be in place for the 2026 election. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 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