1
as in violating
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent
was registered as a sex offender after assaulting the victim
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in attacking
to take sudden, violent action against
was found guilty of assaulting an officer enemy forces assaulted the city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of assaulting
The perpetrators allegedly transported victims to isolated islands near New Providence before assaulting them.
—
Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
The man allegedly grabbed the woman from behind and held a knife to her side before assaulting her on the sidewalk, police said, ABC News reports.
—Kc Baker, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
In the early morning hours when inexperienced corrections officers were on duty, the two inmates fled the kitchen, raping, assaulting and tying up two workers while en route to the tower.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
As June boarded the train, police detained Luke on the platform for assaulting a Gilead sympathizer.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
In total, nine women have now accused Jiang of assaulting them.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
Carter was accused of assaulting a tow truck driver one year ago during an alleged incident in which the driver suffered a fractured rib.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025
One official told the Times that extremists had been found to be talking about assaulting justices, tracking their movements, and examining a floor plan of a judicial building.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Just days after the Hollywood Reporter profile was published, Rolling Stone produced audio of Majors admitting to assaulting Jabbari, back in 2022.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2025
Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
The man allegedly grabbed the woman from behind and held a knife to her side before assaulting her on the sidewalk, police said, ABC News reports.
—Kc Baker, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
In the early morning hours when inexperienced corrections officers were on duty, the two inmates fled the kitchen, raping, assaulting and tying up two workers while en route to the tower.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
As June boarded the train, police detained Luke on the platform for assaulting a Gilead sympathizer.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
In total, nine women have now accused Jiang of assaulting them.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
Carter was accused of assaulting a tow truck driver one year ago during an alleged incident in which the driver suffered a fractured rib.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025
One official told the Times that extremists had been found to be talking about assaulting justices, tracking their movements, and examining a floor plan of a judicial building.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Just days after the Hollywood Reporter profile was published, Rolling Stone produced audio of Majors admitting to assaulting Jabbari, back in 2022.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assaulting
Verb
-
Even in districts that have staff dedicated to teaching Black history, some teachers are afraid of violating state law, according to Brian Knowles, who oversees African American, Holocaust and Latino studies for the Palm Beach County school district.—
Kate Payne,
Orlando Sentinel,
23 Dec. 2024
-
That year, the campaign finance regulator separately found that Wyss’s groups failed to provide evidence of certain grant agreements upon conservatives accusing him of violating laws on foreign nationals making donations.—
Gabe Kaminsky,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
22 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities recently launched a campaign attacking the governor for allowing the state’s overreliance on property taxes to worsen and for seeking to slash summer work programs that assist the state’s troubled youths.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Moyes is likely to spend the summer focusing on improving the squad’s attacking output.—
Patrick Boyland,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Judge Torres has granted lawyer Alex Spiro's request to file a dismissal motion in the lawsuit that accuses Jay-Z of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2025
-
Oren, Alon and Tal Alexander all from Miami Beach, are also facing at least four other civil lawsuits filled with disturbing allegations of drugging and raping women.—
Charles Rabin,
Miami Herald,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
One of Mangione’s attorneys told a judge that government officials, including New York Mayor Eric Adams, have turned Mangione into a political pawn, robbing him of his rights as a defendant and tainting the jury pool.—
Michael R. Sisak and Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Dec. 2024
-
Cops have arrested a motorist accused of attacking and robbing an NYPD traffic enforcement agent of his electronic summons book after getting a ticket on a busy Queens street, police said Friday.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
20 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Assaulting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assaulting. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share