assault

Plural: assaults

Noun

• close fighting during the culmination of a military attack
• a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped
• thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1946
• the crime of forcing a woman to submit to sexual intercourse against her will
• A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc.
• A violent verbal attack, for example with insults, criticism, and the like
• An attempt to commit battery: a violent attempt, or willful effort with force or violence, to do hurt to another, but without necessarily touching the person, such as by raising a fist in a threatening manner, or by striking at the person and missing.
• The crime whose action is such an attempt.
• An act that causes someone to apprehend imminent bodily harm (such as brandishing a weapon).
• The tort whose action is such an act.
• A non-competitive combat between two fencers.

Verb

Verb Forms: assaulted, assaulting, assaults

• To make a physical attack on someone or something.
• attack someone physically or emotionally
  • "The mugger assaulted the woman"
• force (someone) to have sex against their will
• attack in speech or writing
• To attack, physically or figuratively; to assail.
• To threaten or harass.

Examples

• Loud music assaulted our ears as we entered the building.
• My constant use of S hooks felt like an assault on his defensive strategy.
• She launched a written assault on the opposition party.
• The army made an assault on the enemy.
• Tom was accused of assaulting another man outside a nightclub.

Synonyms

assail, attack, dishonor, dishonour, lash out, outrage, rape, ravish, ravishment, round, set on, snipe, violate, violation, aggression, assailment, assault, attempt, offense, offensive, onfall, onrush, onset, onslaught, strike

Antonyms

defence, defense

Related Words

fight