as in attackers
one who violently sets upon another
the darkness prevented me from getting a good look at my assailant
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Recent Examples of assailants
Murdaugh family announces $100,000 reward for information Alex Murdaugh and his son Buster announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of assailants involved in the murders of Maggie and Paul.
—
Marlene Lenthang, ABC News, 14 May 2026
Last month, three assailants opened fire at police outside a building housing the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, sparking a gunfight that left one attacker dead.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
The Kuwaiti national news agency said after clashes with local security services, four of the assailants were arrested and two escaped.
—CBS News, 12 May 2026
The assailants repeatedly rammed their vehicle into a police cruiser, Beere said.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
The eight assailants got out of two cars, including a gray Nissan Altima.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
Multiple people have been stabbed in a series of recent attacks in Imperial Beach, and detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying the assailants.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Once at the location where she would later be killed, the assailants tied her to a chair and blindfolded her, according to a clip of video from the incident shared online by Univision.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
His limp body, which his familial assailants tried to burn with charcoal briquets, was found in Gary, Indiana, authorities said.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Marlene Lenthang, ABC News, 14 May 2026
Last month, three assailants opened fire at police outside a building housing the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, sparking a gunfight that left one attacker dead.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
The Kuwaiti national news agency said after clashes with local security services, four of the assailants were arrested and two escaped.
—CBS News, 12 May 2026
The assailants repeatedly rammed their vehicle into a police cruiser, Beere said.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
The eight assailants got out of two cars, including a gray Nissan Altima.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
Multiple people have been stabbed in a series of recent attacks in Imperial Beach, and detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying the assailants.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Once at the location where she would later be killed, the assailants tied her to a chair and blindfolded her, according to a clip of video from the incident shared online by Univision.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
His limp body, which his familial assailants tried to burn with charcoal briquets, was found in Gary, Indiana, authorities said.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assailants
attackers
Noun
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The gap between how fast attackers are moving and how fast defenders respond is widening.—
Aqsa Taylor,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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The attackers started to go door to door, but the guard, Amin Abdullah, had already triggered a lockdown alert and the students were in another area of the building.—
Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Assailants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assailants. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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