1
as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
the union organizers assailed the chemical company for failing to provide a safe working environment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to assault
to take sudden, violent action against
the small birds assailed the larger one that had threatened their nest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 assail
And a victory in the sixth-largest state would continue to provide him a credible, high-profile platform from which to assail the actions of the Trump administration nationally in the run-up to the 2028 presidential election.
—
Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
Their grief and their rage are nearly untranslatable, as though feelings in extremity can only be physical sensations—the language assails one with a blind and blunt force.
—Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Trump has portrayed the legal reprieves as the unraveling of an era of political prosecutions steered by former President Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ), which Trump assailed as weaponized against him while marred by his own legal troubles.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 1 Feb. 2025
Thomas wrote a dissenting opinion, to which Alito also attached his name, and assailed the court majority for refusing to hear Alabama's case.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assail
Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
Their grief and their rage are nearly untranslatable, as though feelings in extremity can only be physical sensations—the language assails one with a blind and blunt force.
—Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Trump has portrayed the legal reprieves as the unraveling of an era of political prosecutions steered by former President Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ), which Trump assailed as weaponized against him while marred by his own legal troubles.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 1 Feb. 2025
Thomas wrote a dissenting opinion, to which Alito also attached his name, and assailed the court majority for refusing to hear Alabama's case.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assail
Verb
-
Korematsu was just 22 years old and working hard to expand his family’s flower nursery outside San Francisco when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941.—
Lauren Stienstra,
Time,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Every American should reject the president's and his cronies' illegitimate use of government power to attack his enemies.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Uber has said the driver gave them a different version of events, saying the driver claimed the two riders fought in the back of his car and assaulted him at the end of the trip.—
Annabella Rosciglione,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Warhorse bandmates drummer Tre Cool and bassist Mike Dirnt assaulted their instruments with their trademark goofiness and aggression, with three other touring members helping fill the massive venue with a legion of guitars and keys.—
Jeff Miller,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The White House was reprimanded: A federal judge scolded the Trump administration for failing to try to return the man.—
Cate Martel,
The Hill,
16 Apr. 2025
-
At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt scolded reporters for not understanding the president’s plans.—
Chris Megerian,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
A little less than a month after the meeting, the FBI raided the offices of Feeding Our Future.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Getty Images — Erin Doherty 23 Hours Ago Tech, finance leaders reportedly visiting Trump to ‘talk common sense’ on tariffs An aerial view of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home after Trump said that FBI agents raided it, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. August 15, 2022.—
Erin Doherty,Annika Kim Constantino,Yun Li,
CNBC,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Paxton and Cornyn have traded barbs back and forth for years, with the attorney general slamming Cornyn’s votes in favor of additional U.S. aid to Ukraine and bipartisan legislation on gun safety following the 2022 Uvalde school shooting.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells left the court on a stretcher last night after slamming his head on the court during a dunk attempt.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
More than 150 people have died after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and nearby Thailand on Friday, March 28.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The Great Tohoku Earthquake struck Japan on March 11, 2011, with a magnitude of 9.1 that also triggered a catastrophic tsunami that hit within 30 minutes of the quake.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Such is the case with this 15-minute fictionalized short inspired by the traumatic aftermath of a real event — when a group of Proud Boys in 2022 stormed a Drag Queen Story Hour program at the East Bay’s San Lorenzo Library and proceeded to hurl gay and transphobic slurs there.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Soon after Noboa took office in 2023, the country suffered back-to-back emergencies: a notorious gang leader escaped from prison; days later, a band of gunmen stormed a major TV station and took the staff hostage.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Los Angeles jewelry store Love Jewels was robbed of around $20 million worth of jewelry during a daring heist on Sunday, April 13.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
16 Apr. 2025
-
The synagogue isn’t a wholly random place for Hampton to be asked to rob.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Assail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assail. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share