1
as in attacked
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
the union organizers assailed the chemical company for failing to provide a safe working environment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in assaulted
to take sudden, violent action against
the small birds assailed the larger one that had threatened their nest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of assailed
Lander has assailed Goldman for accepting AIPAC’s endorsement and for voting to send military aid to Israel, which Lander has vowed to oppose.
—
Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
The former increases excitability and preparedness for movement in response to the tennis equivalent of being assailed by a woolly mammoth.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 3 June 2026
In 2018, that monopoly was assailed by signs and portents.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
And so rivals again assailed Becerra’s performance as state attorney general and Health and Human Services secretary in the Biden administration.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
In 2023, senators assailed Ticketmaster, which is owned by Live Nation Entertainment, for its lack of transparency and inability to block bots from purchasing tickets on behalf of scalpers.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 13 May 2026
In the years following the departure of Ailes, many critics further assailed the network for eroding any line between news reporting and commentary and political advocacy.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026
California law restricts when local enforcement can coordinate with ICE in making such arrests, and federal officials and Republicans have assailed the policy for hindering immigration enforcement.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
In announcing the Pentagon’s agreement with Scouting America, the defense secretary assailed the group for welcoming transgender children but stopped short of saying they would be denied entry.
—Tara Copp, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026
Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
The former increases excitability and preparedness for movement in response to the tennis equivalent of being assailed by a woolly mammoth.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 3 June 2026
In 2018, that monopoly was assailed by signs and portents.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
And so rivals again assailed Becerra’s performance as state attorney general and Health and Human Services secretary in the Biden administration.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
In 2023, senators assailed Ticketmaster, which is owned by Live Nation Entertainment, for its lack of transparency and inability to block bots from purchasing tickets on behalf of scalpers.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 13 May 2026
In the years following the departure of Ailes, many critics further assailed the network for eroding any line between news reporting and commentary and political advocacy.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026
California law restricts when local enforcement can coordinate with ICE in making such arrests, and federal officials and Republicans have assailed the policy for hindering immigration enforcement.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
In announcing the Pentagon’s agreement with Scouting America, the defense secretary assailed the group for welcoming transgender children but stopped short of saying they would be denied entry.
—Tara Copp, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assailed
Verb
-
Daga, Berto, Angel, Bronco Nima and Karmen Petrovic attacked El Grande Americano and took off their jackets to reveal their Los Perros del Mal T-shirts.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
22 June 2026
-
The prosecution said the two activists had incited a mob that subsequently attacked a security vehicle, seized the soldier and beat him to death with sticks and bricks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
Louis rips his spine out, dislocates his jaw, and reads Claudia’s diary entries about how she was repeatedly assaulted by him.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
-
Two officers were assaulted during this time.—
CBS Baltimore Staff,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
During a press conference in the Panhandle on Tuesday, Collins took off his prosthetic leg and slammed it on the podium in response to a question from a reporter.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 June 2026
-
But Republican rival Steve Hilton slammed the group for political opportunism.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
The headquarters of his governing Socialist party has been raided by police, and several close allies have been the target of investigations, including former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and former right-hand man José Luis Ábalos.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
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According to the Créteil prosecutor’s office, criminal investigators raided a home in the Paris suburb on June 15, expecting to find a cache of drugs.—
Séraphine Roger,
Vanity Fair,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
This time, however, Charlotte promptly scolded him for his untoward behavior.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
-
Four years ago, Infantino scolded critics during a news conference ahead of the opener in Qatar.—
Carlos Rodriguez,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Center talent and depth was undeniably one of the reasons Colorado stormed through the regular season as the league’s top team and breezed by Los Angeles and Minnesota in the first two rounds of the playoffs.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
18 June 2026
-
Disgruntled, the policemen stormed out of the house.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Officers said a shot was fired from an adjacent apartment and a child was struck.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
-
Robinson’s personal effort to reclaim her joy quickly struck a chord with other women who longed to reconnect with the carefree days of their youth.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Assailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assailed. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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