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

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as in attacks

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

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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

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as in raids

to take sudden, violent action against was found guilty of assaulting an officer enemy forces assaulted the city

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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

Chicagoans hear reports of assaults on trains and violent robberies in places like Wicker Park and mass shootings on the South and West sides, which have also crept into the Loop. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 Phillips was considered the most gifted running back prospect of his generation but domestic violence, assaults, probation violations, prison sentences, and ultimately a murder charge overshadowed the talent. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Kuwait’s military said Saturday that its forces were responding to drone attacks, which were part of Iran’s assaults on the country. — ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026 New attacks on Kuwait and on shipping Kuwait’s military said Saturday that its forces were responding to drone attacks, which were part of Iran’s assaults on the country. — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2026 New attacks on Kuwait and on shipping Kuwait’s military said Saturday that its forces were responding to drone attacks which were part of Iran’s assaults on the country. — Samy Magdy, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2026 Those plaintiffs, who were between 11 and 39 years old at the time of filing, said the assaults occurred at schools across the district, including Cordova Meadows Elementary, Folsom Middle School and Folsom Cordova High School. — Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026 Russia will likely continue using a limited number of mechanized assaults while relying primarily on small-unit infiltrations. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 On September 1, Chafin deployed rented commercial aircraft to drop pipe bombs and tear gas on locations where the miners were suspected to be regrouping for further assaults. — Elijah Tanall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 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

So far, Lineage has received nine violations related to the smell.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Stockton, California, now uses AI to scan for code violations proactively and rank them for inspectors; its pilot surfaced 4,000 violations in five days.

— Tom Dowling, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of violations

Noun

In recent years and as online culture changed, Hilton toned down his public attacks and appeared to embrace fatherhood and adopt a kinder public persona, even integrating more family-friendly content on his site.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
Russia set new wartime records for both the scale and pace of its missile attacks on Ukraine in July, according to data released by the Ukrainian Air Force.

— Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 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

However, Iran analysts are highly skeptical that Tehran will prove capable of launching any such large-scale ground offensives any time soon.

— Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Israel’s ongoing offensives have become a wedge issue for Jewish and non-Jewish Americans, leading to protests and raising antisemitism fears and questions about America’s close ties to Israel.

— David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of offensives

Verb

One day later, Paramount agreed to hold off on the acquisition until the court makes a decision of whether or not the deal violates antitrust laws.

— McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 1 Aug. 2026
Company reserves the right to disqualify any participant who violates these Terms or the official Yahoo Survival Pool rules.

— The Athletic, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of violates

Verb

Mars storms the Official Streaming chart with five titles, while one of his most successful collaborations becomes a bestseller again on multiple rosters.

— Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Although significant, that event was far less powerful than the Carrington Event — or the even rarer storms the new study suggests may be possible.

— Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 17 July 2026