1
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
was arrested for his assault of the bystander
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violation
the act of forcing a person to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse
attended a class teaching women self-defense against assault
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
as in to attack
to take sudden, violent action against
was found guilty of assaulting an officer enemy forces assaulted the city
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of assault
Jeanna Smialek, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Jan. 2023
Within days of his assault on White, Seneca allegedly attempted to kidnap a different man and allegedly kidnapped another, the Justice Department said in a previous statement.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2023
CBS News, 24 June 2025
After eluding arrest, officials kidnapped his daughter and threatened to assault her if Saharkhiz did not surrender.
—Karl Vick, Time, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for assault
Noun
That is why the Fed is taking a cautious stance and trying to avoid pulling back prematurely from its assault on inflation.
—Jeanna Smialek, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Jan. 2023
Within days of his assault on White, Seneca allegedly attempted to kidnap a different man and allegedly kidnapped another, the Justice Department said in a previous statement.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2023
Verb
The eight-member jury ordered that man, 69-year-old chiropractor David Walls-Kaufman, to pay $380,000 in punitive damages and $60,000 in compensatory damages to Erin Smith for assaulting her husband, Metropolitan Police Officer Jeffrey Smith, inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
—CBS News, 24 June 2025
After eluding arrest, officials kidnapped his daughter and threatened to assault her if Saharkhiz did not surrender.
—Karl Vick, Time, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for assault
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assault
Noun
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In the far-western Lviv region, a large fire broke out at an industrial facility in the city of Drohobych after a drone attack that also cut electricity to parts of the city.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
29 June 2025
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Videos posted on Telegram show a large fire near Kremenchuk after the attack.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
29 June 2025
Noun
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Whether they are regulated globally or locally, human rights violations within supplier networks will never reflect well on parent companies.—
Mary Foley,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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While aerial intercepts are intended to prevent airspace violations, such maneuvers can lead to midair collisions if executed in an unsafe or unprofessional manner.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Earlier in the week, perhaps the most notable setback was a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian that a cap on health care provider taxes, which is projected to save billions of dollars in federal Medicaid spending, violated the Senate’s Byrd Rule.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
29 June 2025
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Its Senate passage could come as soon as Monday after days of delay due to the parliamentarian, a nonpartisan Senate rules referee, determining that dozens of provisions violated the Byrd Rule.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
29 June 2025
Verb
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In 2022, Chinese authorities raided a warehouse and seized counterfeit Salvatore Ferragamo belts thanks to efforts by the Italian luxury house and Amazon.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
26 June 2025
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The following day, agents raided her husband’s home and business, Century Homebuilders Group, in Coral Gables.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2025
Noun
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While Quansah gave away a penalty to make it 2-1, England defended Spain’s second half onslaught incredibly well both collectively and individually.—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
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Shops have been closed across Tehran, including in its famed Grand Bazaar, as people wait in gas lines and pack roads leading out of the city to escape the onslaught.—
Joseph Krauss,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
Noun
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Blankenship was arrested in April on suspicion of rape.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
24 June 2025
-
On one hand, Serena was part of this world where women were considered less than second-class citizens, and those that were fertile were used by married Gilead couples as incubators for children that were a product of rape, amid a fertility crisis.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
22 June 2025
Verb
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Indiana led at halftime, 48-47: the Pacers, whose dominant 108-91 victory over OKC in Game 6 on Thursday forced just the seventh Game 7 of an NBA Finals in 38 years, wouldn’t fold.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
23 June 2025
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The shutdowns have caused significant disruptions to regional air traffic and forced airlines to reroute flights.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
Verb
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MacDonough also advised Chief Justice John Roberts during both of Trump’s Senate impeachment trials, including the one that came in response to rioters storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
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Jake Paul, ahead of his next boxing match this Saturday, got into a verbal sparring match with host Piers Morgan on Thursday and stormed out of his virtual interview.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Assault.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assault. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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