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.
—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
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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Rather than attacking all rapidly growing cells, as chemotherapy does, the drug targets a key cancer-driving pathway known as KRAS, which is involved in more than 90% of pancreatic tumors.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
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Akindahunsi is accused of attacking several women the night of May 28.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
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While federal law dictates up to 20 years in prison or assaulting pilots or flight attendants, there is no nationwide standard for public transit operators.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
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John Gotti's grandson, Carmine Gotti Agnello, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a woman, Nassau County Police said.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Over the past two months, Paul has accused Mortensen in court of stalking and, on one occasion, slamming her head into the dashboard of his truck.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
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Jacob got back into the match by slamming Reigns into a post.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Even rural birds manage to find some human items, most likely by raiding farm bins or garages.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
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At 13-years-old, Blue Ivy Carter is already raiding one of the best closets in the game.—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
Verb
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For all the prior cinematic depictions of storming bunkers and camaraderie under fire, Pressure offers us the quiet heroism of rational restraint in the figure of James Stagg, who weathered his inner storms and bore the courage to be disliked.—
Daniel Jonah Wolpert,
NPR,
29 May 2026
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This revolutionary fervor culminated in both Fidel and Raúl, with roughly 140 rebel revolutionaries in tow, storming Cuba’s second-largest military installation, the Moncada Barracks, in July 1953.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Assailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assailing. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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