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
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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
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
Ekulona’s Julie is assailed as much by Hedda’s slights as by her indifference.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Alongside Palasciano, speakers assailed the influx of Indian Americans, from accusing them of snatching the American Dream to criticizing their driving skills and even blaming them for traffic.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
Emotions were hot during a House Judiciary Committee hearing this past week where Bondi was assailed by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, who accused the Justice Department of redacting the names of multiple men for political reasons.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Trump chose Powell to lead the Fed in 2017 but this year has relentlessly assailed him for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.
—Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
Trump picked Powell to lead the Fed in 2017 but has been relentlessly assailed him for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.
—Matt Ott, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Some Republicans have assailed the agency as overregulating industry.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026
In the final days of his presidency, Joe Biden was similarly assailed for granting a broad pardon to his son Hunter for any offenses committed over the span of more than a decade—as well as for preemptively pardoning a swath of other members of his family and administration.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Tara Copp, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026
Ekulona’s Julie is assailed as much by Hedda’s slights as by her indifference.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Alongside Palasciano, speakers assailed the influx of Indian Americans, from accusing them of snatching the American Dream to criticizing their driving skills and even blaming them for traffic.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
Emotions were hot during a House Judiciary Committee hearing this past week where Bondi was assailed by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, who accused the Justice Department of redacting the names of multiple men for political reasons.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Trump chose Powell to lead the Fed in 2017 but this year has relentlessly assailed him for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.
—Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
Trump picked Powell to lead the Fed in 2017 but has been relentlessly assailed him for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.
—Matt Ott, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Some Republicans have assailed the agency as overregulating industry.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026
In the final days of his presidency, Joe Biden was similarly assailed for granting a broad pardon to his son Hunter for any offenses committed over the span of more than a decade—as well as for preemptively pardoning a swath of other members of his family and administration.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assailed
Verb
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Iran, Israel and the United States also have attacked oil and gas facilities since the war started, worsening supply concerns.—
Alex Veiga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Its national oil company declared force majeure after the country’s sole oil refinery was attacked.—
Elaine Kurtenbach,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Three weeks later, Jalloh allegedly assaulted an older male and stomped his head into the ground.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Mar. 2026
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The American Nurses Association found that one in four nurses reported being physically assaulted on the job.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has taken steps to improve relations with North Korea, but North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has slammed the overtures and laid out his vision for more nuclear development.—
Soo-hyang Choi,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
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Foster immediately checked out of the game, slammed his fist on a chair and screamed when trainers probed at his right foot, then went back to Duke’s locker room.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The day Johnson’s office hosted Mayor Kaohly Her at a Dayton’s Bluff coffee shop to hear from a panel of immigrant business owners, some participants arrived ashen-faced, reporting that ICE agents had raided a nearby Latin grocery on East Seventh Street.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
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Khamenka was detained in June after his house was raided and has spent more than a half year behind bars.—
Yuras Karmanau,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Zambrano’s case, Gee scolded the government over how the detention unfolded.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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He is being groomed, playing, testing boundaries and even being scolded which are all part of normal social learning for young macaques.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With less than five seconds remaining in regulation, King and teammate George Natsvlishvili stormed up the court in hopes of a buzzer-beating shot.—
Tom Carothers,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
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The two sat up front and refused to move, angering the driver, who stormed off at every stop, all through the night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Trump, meanwhile, has struck a decidedly defiant tone — offering few of the reassurances or rationalizations that past presidents have offered in the initial stages of war, and sounding more unbothered than embattled.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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The earthquake struck at a depth of 6 miles, with its epicenter approximately 2 miles west of Lake Henshaw.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Assailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assailed. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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