onslaught

noun

on·​slaught ˈän-ˌslȯt 

ˈȯn-

: an especially fierce attack

the tremendous onslaught across the Rhine

—Sir Winston Churchill

also : something resembling such an attack

an onslaught of technological changes

Employers are expecting an onslaught of recent college graduates.

Synonyms

• aggression
• assault
• attack
• attempt
• blitz
• blitzkrieg
• charge
• coup de main
• descent
• offense
• offence
• offensive
• onset
• raid
• rush
• strike

Examples of onslaught in a Sentence

an onslaught by the enemy

the massive onslaught of enemy troops caught the country by surprise

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump’s onslaught of tariffs heralds a new industrial policy era in the U.S. where the government will intervene more in free markets, and companies will have less flexibility in their decision making. —Mayra Rodriguez Valladares, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025

Eight minutes of additional time permitted a late Brentford onslaught. —Chris Waugh, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025

The unending onslaught of news, including Trump’s promise to impose global tariffs on Wednesday, will quickly compete for attention. —Susan Page, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025

Opposition calls it ‘corrupt’ What started as almost stunned paralysis among Democrats in the early weeks of Trump’s onslaught of executive orders and federal agency actions, the Trump resistance is gaining traction. —Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

modification of Dutch aanslag act of striking; akin to Old English an on and to Old English slēan to strike — more at slay

First Known Use

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for onslaught

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

onslaught

noun

on·​slaught ˈän-ˌslȯt 

ˈȯn-

: a violent attack