ASSAULTS Synonyms: 124 Similar and Opposite Words

assaults 1 of 2

noun

plural of assault

as in violations

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

Relevance

as in attacks

the act or action of setting upon with force or violence was arrested for his assault of the bystander

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

assaults

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of assault

as in rapes

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

as in raids

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 assaults

Noun

The cases include five inmates killed behind bars and assaults against staff and inmates. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026 Following its release, six women independently went to police and accused him of past assaults. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2026 Both of the women Masterson was convicted of raping in were members of Scientology at the time of the assaults. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026 At the hearing, prosecutors argued for life in prison, citing the brothers’ decadeslong assaults of dozens of women (over 70 have come forward) and lack of remorse. — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 27 Oct. 2026 Three assaults on Overland Park trails While police say there is likely more than one suspect, each of the women described a man who approached them from behind. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 Zelenskyy’s challenge of defending Ukraine against Putin and adjusting to Trump’s complicity in Putin’s deadly assaults reminds us of that adage about history not repeating itself but rhyming. — Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Assaults are up, almost 2,500 assaults this year alone on police officers, felony assaults, and public servants in New York City. — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Cash reserves totaling $ 7,450,869 are being used to eviscerate his opponent with a vicious barrage of ad hominem assaults, thus giving him a 61 to 1 spending edge. — Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

Verb

Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. — Christina Fan, CBS News, 7 June 2026 Any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members can lead to penalties of up to $43,658 per violation, according to the FAA. — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 3 May 2026 The Pios’ culture assaults the senses the moment players step onto campus. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026 The White House told ProPublica that anyone who assaults federal immigration agents would be prosecuted. — Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025 The Kid also physically assaults Apollonia at one point. — Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025 Continue reading … SKY SCUFFLE – Passenger allegedly assaults Alaska Airlines crew members, forces emergency landing at Boise Airport. — FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for assaults

Noun

Matthew Unglesbee, a 36-year-old resident of Quincy in southwestern Illinois, was charged with violations related to false information and hoaxes and mailing threatening communications.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
Although the cameras aren’t yet issuing official tickets — the program must undergo a 60-day warning period in November — preliminary testing data captured 100,000 speeding violations over the course of nine days last month.

— Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of violations

Noun

In his statement, Dan also blamed Russia for a spate of attacks in recent weeks on civilian maritime transport in the Black Sea, which has left at least three people dead and has raised fears of an escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine.

— STEPHEN McGRATH, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
The bomber could potentially conduct electronic attacks alongside its existing weapons operations, reducing its dependence on specialized escort aircraft in certain scenarios.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of attacks

Verb

In that film’s story, Insiang (Hilda Koronel) metes out revenge against Dado (Ruel Vernal), her hateful mother’s lover, who rapes her after rejecting his advances.

— Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
Through these photos, Dominique Pelicot is not ‘just’ casting an incestuous gaze on me, as was said during the investigation and the Mazan rapes trial.

— TIME, Time, 7 Apr. 2026

Definition of rapes

Verb

In the character's final scene, as the DEA raids her rural compound, Laurie ties a rope around her neck and jumps from the roof of her home.

— Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
In the meantime, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) finally raids Laurie's property, thanks to the intel Rue had been giving them.

— Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 1 June 2026

Definition of raids

Noun

Ukraine can conduct localized offensives but not enough to shift the broader battlefield balance, despite mounting Russian losses.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Only small offensives are possible Ukraine can conduct localized offensives but not enough to shift the broader battlefield balance, despite mounting Russian losses.

— Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of offensives

Verb

Among them, Carter found that the request violates federal law precluding altering of election rules on the eve of an election.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
The lawsuit argues the change violates the Administrative Procedure Act because it was adopted without explanation and the First Amendment, which protects lawyers' ability to advise people of their legal rights and seek prospective clients.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of violates

Noun

Its songs are littered with black holes, disasters, nuclear bombs; there are guttural screams and onslaughts of distorted guitar.

— Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
In fact, reported evidence suggests this software commitment (from a company making its revenue from hardware) has been crucial to Nvidia’s success in fending off onslaughts from other hardware vendors such as Intel.

— Nisha Talagala, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026