Synonyms for assault
- noun
- verb
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Violation
2. Attack
attack, onslaught, aggression, invasion, offensive, charge, charre UK, incursion, offense US, offence UK, attempt, strike, storm, storming, thrust, onrush, onset dated, assailment dated
Other
onfall rare
Verb
1. Assail
assail, fall upon, light into, come down on, set upon, round, lash out, snipe, lace into informal, pitch into slang
Definitions
- n. 1
A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc.
The army made an assault on the enemy.
- n. 2
A violent verbal attack, for example with insults, criticism, and the like
She launched a written assault on the opposition party.
- v. 1
To attack, physically or figuratively; to assail.
Loud music assaulted our ears as we entered the building.
- v. 2
To threaten or harass.
Related words
- Word family
- assaulter assaultive
- Phrases
- assault course sexual assault assault and battery
Choose the right word
Assail and assault, tho of the same original etymology, have diverged in meaning, so that assault alone retains the meaning of direct personal violence.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- attack The fortress was secure from every kind of attack.
- onslaught The defenders checked the onslaught by the attackers.
By length
- 3 letters
- get1
- 4 letters
- rape1
- 5 letters
- round1, storm1, onset2, snipe1
- 6 letters
- attack2, charge1, strike1, thrust1, batter2, ravish, assail2, onrush, charre, onfall
- 7 letters
- attempt2, offense2, offence, outrage2, violate3
- 8 letters
- violence3, invasion3, storming2, dishonor3
- 9 letters
- offensive3, violation4, onslaught2, incursion3, dishonour
- 10 letters
- aggression3, ravishment, assailment
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (onset2 = 2 syllables).