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. President Biden:

   I knew then, and we know now, that we needed to change, change the culture, when it comes to sexual assault. And changing the culture requires all of us, all of us, to get engaged -- especially young men, who too often stand on the sidelines. To step in, speak out, make sure everybody knows Tracey Vitchers campus does not tolerate sexual abuse.

2. President John R. Broderick:

   While we constantly educate students, faculty and staff about sexual assault and sexual harassment, this incident confirms our collective efforts are still failing to register with some.

3. Missouri Republican:

   I think the Congress generally appreciates the fact that three weeks into this assault by a much bigger country, The Ukrainian leader is still able to go somewhere and have a virtual meeting with the Congress of the United States.

4. Blanca Blanco:

   I support the Me Too movement 100 percent because I believe sexual assault and harassment is totally unacceptable behavior, every behavior is connected with consequences and people should be aware that their negative actions will be paired with negative consequences. Empowering each other will only give us even more awareness of how powerful we are.

5. Chris Noth:

   The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false. These stories could've been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago — no always means no — that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual. It's difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I don't know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this : I did not assault these women.