1
as in attacks
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 assaults
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 assails
As an example, Vance called out an essay in The Nation that assails Kirk’s views on women, homosexuality, and affirmative action.
—
Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2025
Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assails
Verb
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Is a taboo crossed when someone attacks?—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune, inflammatory form of arthritis, meaning a person’s immune system attacks their joints, causing substantial inflammation.—
Kevin Deane,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The White House told ProPublica that anyone who assaults federal immigration agents would be prosecuted.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
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The Kid also physically assaults Apollonia at one point.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Winter storm slams the East While Arizona's system is mostly a light-rain and mountain-snow setup, a sprawling winter storm is creating far bigger problems across the eastern half of the country.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Continue reading … 'UNACCEPTABLE' – Prominent Catholic bishop slams anti-ICE agitators who disrupted MN church service.—
,
FOXNews.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some owls will hunt the wildlife that raids our garbage cans, like skunks and opossums.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
2 Jan. 2026
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November raids By mid-November, law enforcement had collected enough evidence to conduct early-morning raids, including on North Carey Street at the home of Shawn Oliver.—
Mike Hellgren,
CBS News,
2 Dec. 2025
Verb
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While some online scolds didn’t like Johnson’s profanity, this has played well in Chicago, a city that has been ravenous for a winning Bears team since the 20th Super Bowl.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
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Or on Bluesky with the joke scolds, or on Mastodon with the Linux hackers, or on Threads with the voice-forward brands?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The root cause of the disappointing guidance — a reduction in manufacturing capacity ahead of a big increase in demand for Intel’s central processing units — strikes me as a stunningly bad strategic decision.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Bob The Drag Queen strikes a pose during press day for Moulin Rouge!—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Continue reading … NEWSROOM REVOLT – Tensions rise at '60 Minutes' as Scott Pelley reportedly criticizes Bari Weiss.—
,
FOXNews.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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Inuit council criticizes White House statements The dispute is looming large in the lives of Greenlanders.—
Daniel Niemann,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rocking, jerking, and twisting in your seat introduces momentum, which only robs you of the full benefits of the exercise.—
Jenessa Connor,
Health,
11 Jan. 2026
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Doomscrolling too often robs people of sleep, so charging your phone outside of your bedroom (or at least far away from your bed) can help curb this, too.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Assails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assails. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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