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
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
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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For any politician unwilling or unable to persuade the public with facts and strong rebuttals, attacking the messenger becomes the path of least resistance.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
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When attacking adult or adolescent males, Sandel said the chimpanzees use collective violence.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The lawyers had argued that a history of assaulting women didn’t make Combs guilty of the crimes charged.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Philadelphia sports radio personality Mike Missanelli was arrested early Wednesday morning for allegedly assaulting his fiancee, police said.—
Laura Fay,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Swinyard said Mortensen allegedly drove away with Paul against her wishes, before the two got into an altercation that included Mortensen grabbing her head and slamming it into the dashboard, then hitting her knee and elbow with his fist.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
7 Apr. 2026
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Video shows a car striking a large trash bin before slamming into the building.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Residents said the attackers operated for hours, raiding homes and sending residents to flee to safety in neighboring communities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
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There’s also talk of US forces raiding nuclear sites deep inside Iran to retrieve worrisome nuclear material, amid heightened fears that it could be used by an angry and desperate Iranian regime to manufacture nuclear weapons.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Balint shouted before storming out of the hearing.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
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What it cannot any longer be described as, at least not honestly, is a problem that begins only when Chinese troops start storming ashore.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Assailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assailing. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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