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 assailant then struck the boy in the face with the charger before running off without having said a word north on Sheridan Ave.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
The 16-year-old was fatally shot by an unknown assailant outside of his home in Oakland.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
She was killed by an unknown assailant from an errant bullet allegedly originating from a shootout on those premises.
—Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The assailant was quickly subdued, and Chappelle left uninjured, with Lee sentenced to 270 days in jail.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for assailant
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Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
The 16-year-old was fatally shot by an unknown assailant outside of his home in Oakland.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
She was killed by an unknown assailant from an errant bullet allegedly originating from a shootout on those premises.
—Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The assailant was quickly subdued, and Chappelle left uninjured, with Lee sentenced to 270 days in jail.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 Apr. 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 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
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