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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Relevance

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

Independent Russian media regularly report about returning veterans involved in assaults, drunken brawls and even killings. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026 Research published in Nurse Leader shows assaults on nursing personnel rose from just over 14,000 in 2019 to nearly 24,000 in 2023. — Jason Fass, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026 Two more assaults took place in May and June of 2018 before Vilchez Lazo was arrested. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026 Felony assaults continue to be a problem in the city’s subway system — up 8%, to 441 versus 410 at the same point last year — even as overall transit crime is down 1%. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026 Twice this year, Uber was found liable for driver assaults of passengers. — Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2026 The direct hit against one of the most important government buildings in Ukraine came after days of near continuous aerial assaults by Russia on the Ukrainian capital. — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026 Vladimir Putin is currently carrying out one of the deadliest assaults on the Kyiv region since the start of the war. — Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2026 His defense attorney previously said the assaults were not politically motivated and that DeFoor suffers from mental health issues. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 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

Previous efforts to broker even a partial ceasefire have repeatedly fallen apart within hours, with both sides accusing each other of violations.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
Because there were code violations, such as missing fire extinguishers, everyone who had been sleeping in the clubhouse building could no longer do so.

— Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of violations

Noun

Ukraine's State Emergency Service said Tuesday that Russian strikes on Kyiv had killed one person and wounded seven other people since the start of the day, with attacks carried out on the capital's gas stations.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said Tuesday that Russian strikes on Kyiv had killed one person and wounded seven other people since the start of the day, with attacks carried out on the capital’s gas stations.

— Liudas Dapkus, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 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

The attorney general is authorized to take legal action against anyone who violates this law, which carries potential criminal penalties.

— Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
The Justice Department concluded Friday that the federal government cannot criminally enforce a prohibition on licensed dealers selling handguns to law-abiding adults ages 18-20 because the restriction violates the Second Amendment.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of violates

Verb

But after Chad refuses to follow Gerry’s demands during the team’s final game, Gerry storms onto the field to reveal his secret — only to be tackled by Tricia Yeager’s (Wynn Everett) bodyguard.

— Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
This does not sit well with Chapel, who witnesses the exchange then storms off angrily.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of storms

Noun

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
Ukraine has been largely helpless in similar Russian onslaughts in recent weeks.

— Tom Bowman, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026