1
as in attacking
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 assaulting
to take sudden, violent action against
the small birds assailed the larger one that had threatened their nest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of assailing
Rabb was propelled by a constellation of progressive groups, charting a path to victory partly by assailing his own party as listening more to donors than voters.
—
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Rabb was propelled by a constellation of progressive groups, charting a path to victory partly by assailing his own party as listening more to donors than voters.
—
Marc Levy,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been assailing oil terminals and refineries deep inside Russia with long-range drones and missiles, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s economy.
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ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Trump has singled out Moore for criticism, blaming him for a Potomac sewage spill, assailing his handing of Baltimore's bridge collapse and invoking a controversy over his military record.
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Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Horvath, 43, has been one of the mayor’s most outspoken critics over the past year, assailing her record on homelessness and last year’s Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead.
—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
In 1495 Columbus retaliated by assailing Taíno villages and capturing chiefs.
—
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Rabb was propelled by a constellation of progressive groups, charting a path to victory partly by assailing his own party as listening more to donors than voters.
—
Marc Levy,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been assailing oil terminals and refineries deep inside Russia with long-range drones and missiles, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s economy.
—
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Trump has singled out Moore for criticism, blaming him for a Potomac sewage spill, assailing his handing of Baltimore's bridge collapse and invoking a controversy over his military record.
—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Horvath, 43, has been one of the mayor’s most outspoken critics over the past year, assailing her record on homelessness and last year’s Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead.
—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
In 1495 Columbus retaliated by assailing Taíno villages and capturing chiefs.
—
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assailing
Verb
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After the good Samaritan got him off the woman, witnesses say the man wandered to produce and began attacking a 16-year-old boy, but Garbe had followed him.
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After coming close on numerous attacking opportunities in the first, the Real Madrid star put England ahead for the good in the opening moments of the second.
Verb
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Previously, Jackman had been convicted of a series of rapes in California, assaulting 20 people in Orange County in 1975 and 1976.
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Police accused the singer of assaulting the officers who were trying to take him into custody.
Verb
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The video shows the panicked deer backing itself into a corner, slamming itself against the building and retaining wall.
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Diplo has taken a similarly direct approach — by slamming artists who oppose using the technology.
Verb
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Want to stop raiding the fridge every night before bed?
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While our dreams of raiding Tay Tay’s closet will likely never come true, that won’t stop of from borrowing her style and shopping Swift’s favorite designer brands.
Verb
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Speedy Jonah Cox replaced Devers, who tried to shoo him away before relenting and storming through the dugout.
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But to compare them with Thomas Jefferson or American soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy is absurd and more than a little insulting.
Cite this Entry
“Assailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assailing. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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