Synonyms for assault
əˈsɔltas·sault

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.0 / 3 votes

1. assaultverb

   To attack is to begin hostilities of any kind. A general invades a country by marching in troops; he attacks a city by drawing up an army against it; he assaults it by hurling his troops directly upon its defenses. Assail and assault, tho of the same original etymology, have diverged in meaning, so that assault alone retains the meaning of direct personal violence. One may assail another with reproaches; he assaults him with a blow, a brandished weapon, etc. Armies or squadrons charge; combat and encounter may be said of individual contests. To beset is to set around, or, so to speak, to stud one's path, with menaces, attacks, or persuasions. To besiege and beleaguer are the acts of armies. To encounter is to meet face to face, and may be said either of the attacking or of the resisting force or person, or of both.

   Synonyms:
   assail, attack, attack, beleaguer, beset, besiege, charge, combat, encounter, fall upon, invade, set upon, storm

   Antonyms:
   aid, befriend, cover, defend, protect, resist, shelter, shield, support, sustain, uphold, withstand

   Preposition:
   We were attacked by the enemy with cannon and musketry.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. assault

   Synonyms:
   onset, attack, aggression, onslaught

   Antonyms:
   defense, resistance, repulsion, retaliation, undermining, sapping, stratagem

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

1. assaultnoun

   close fighting during the culmination of a military attack

   Synonyms:
   violation, ravishment, rape

2. assaultnoun

   a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped

   Synonyms:
   violation, ravishment, rape

3. Assaultnoun

   thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1946

   Synonyms:
   violation, ravishment, rape

4. rape, violation, assault, ravishmentverb

   the crime of forcing a woman to submit to sexual intercourse against her will

   Synonyms:
   ravishment, violation, misdemeanor, irreverence, usurpation, infraction, rapine, intrusion, infringement, misdemeanour, rape, colza, trespass, entrancement, encroachment

5. assail, assault, set on, attackverb

   attack someone physically or emotionally

   "The mugger assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"

   Synonyms:
   violate, set on, assail, lash out, snipe, ravish, round, dishonour, outrage, rape, dishonor, attack, aggress

6. rape, ravish, violate, assault, dishonor, dishonour, outrageverb

   force (someone) to have sex against their will

   "The woman was raped on her way home at night"

   Synonyms:
   snipe, delight, set on, ravish, dishonour, scandalise, offend, enthrall, profane, scandalize, disgrace, plunder, desecrate, lash out, transgress, shame, assail, enthral, round, appal, attack, enrapture, despoil, dishonor, transport, breach, rape, attaint, violate, infract, shock, outrage, appall, break, enchant, go against, spoil

7. attack, round, assail, lash out, snipe, assaultverb

   attack in speech or writing

   "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker"

   Synonyms:
   ravish, round out, set on, polish up, rape, violate, round down, polish, snipe, lash out, outrage, assail, fill out, dishonor, round, labialise, brush up, attack, labialize, flesh out, aggress, dishonour, sharpshoot, round off

Matched Categories

1. • Attack
   • Criticize
   • Fight
   • Military
   • Thoroughbred

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. assaultnoun

   Synonyms:
   attack, onset, onslaught, aggression, invasion, charge, thrust

2. assaultnoun

   Synonyms:
   storming, storm

3. assaultverb

   Synonyms:
   assail, attack, charge, invade, STORM, fall upon, fly at, bear down upon, make aggression on

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. assaultnoun

   Synonyms:
   onset, onslaught, charge, aggression, assailing, invasion, incursion

2. assaultverb

   Synonyms:
   attack, assail

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "assault":

   aggression, attack, offensive, onslaught, assaults, mugging, abuse, violence, attacks, storming, beating

Suggested Resources

1. assault

   Song lyrics by assault -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by assault on the Lyrics.com website.

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How to use assault in a sentence?

1. Daniel Hochheiser:

   If there are witnesses who can testify that the behavior of the complainant after the alleged sexual assault was inconsistent with someone who had been assaulted, that could be very powerful.

2. Principal David Stirrat:

   In Lulabel’s case, her approved speech didn’t include any reference to an assault, we certainly would have considered such an addition, provided no individuals were named or defamed.

3. Chuck Schumer:

   A legend in California as the first woman senator, a legend in this Senate. She was the leader on so many different issues: assault weapons, environment, women’s rights and so much else.

4. Brett Hankison:

   And I felt pretty helpless, like there is no way we can challenge this guy with an assault rifle.

5. Lindsey Graham:

   I wish you had that same attitude when an African American conservative is appointed to high office in the Judiciary, so rather than this wonderful exchange, which was wonderful, Rep. Green, where were you and others when there was a wholesale assault on her nomination? Nowhere to be found.