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, who said nothing during the attack and had no interaction with the conductor beforehand, ran out of the station.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
Since the video’s release, Smith’s officers are redoing active assailant training, the second phase of which is set to begin in June.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2025
Law enforcement believes there could have been three assailants involved, Spanish newspaper El País reported.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
That attack killed about 1,200 people, and the Palestinian assailants took about 250 hostages back to Gaza.
—Isabel Kershner, New York Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for assailant
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Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
Since the video’s release, Smith’s officers are redoing active assailant training, the second phase of which is set to begin in June.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2025
Law enforcement believes there could have been three assailants involved, Spanish newspaper El País reported.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
That attack killed about 1,200 people, and the Palestinian assailants took about 250 hostages back to Gaza.
—Isabel Kershner, New York Times, 18 May 2025
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 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
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