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 still had the gun in his jacket, according to court records, and was 16 years old -- the same age as Rio.
—ABC News, 12 June 2026
The footage shows armed assailants breaking through the front door before entering the house and threatening Guzman.
—CBS News, 12 June 2026
The episode ends with the sight of an unconscious Lance in the trunk of a car, abducted by some unseen assailant.
—Rachel Labonte, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
Johnson said Sunday that the video with the widest circulation on social media, which shows an officer pressing a teenager to the ground with all four limbs, was attempting to protect the teen from other assailants at the time.
—Ilana Arougheti
june 10, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for assailant
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ABC News, 12 June 2026
The footage shows armed assailants breaking through the front door before entering the house and threatening Guzman.
—CBS News, 12 June 2026
The episode ends with the sight of an unconscious Lance in the trunk of a car, abducted by some unseen assailant.
—Rachel Labonte, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
Johnson said Sunday that the video with the widest circulation on social media, which shows an officer pressing a teenager to the ground with all four limbs, was attempting to protect the teen from other assailants at the time.
—Ilana Arougheti
june 10, Kansas City Star, 10 June 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 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
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