1
as in rape
the act of forcing a person to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse
attended a class teaching women self-defense against assault
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
was arrested for his assault of the bystander
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in to attack
to take sudden, violent action against
was found guilty of assaulting an officer enemy forces assaulted the city
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of assault
Jeanna Smialek, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Jan. 2023
Within days of his assault on White, Seneca allegedly attempted to kidnap a different man and allegedly kidnapped another, the Justice Department said in a previous statement.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2023
Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 7 Apr. 2025
One official told the Times that extremists had been found to be talking about assaulting justices, tracking their movements, and examining a floor plan of a judicial building.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assault
Noun
That is why the Fed is taking a cautious stance and trying to avoid pulling back prematurely from its assault on inflation.
—Jeanna Smialek, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Jan. 2023
Within days of his assault on White, Seneca allegedly attempted to kidnap a different man and allegedly kidnapped another, the Justice Department said in a previous statement.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2023
Verb
Though Ventura has not spoken publicly about the suit, a video released by CNN showed Combs allegedly assaulting Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 7 Apr. 2025
One official told the Times that extremists had been found to be talking about assaulting justices, tracking their movements, and examining a floor plan of a judicial building.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assault
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assault
Noun
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Soulja Boy has been ordered to pay a hefty sum to a Jane Doe victim who accused the rapper of rape and assault.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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The data had been filed in a high-profile federal lawsuit involving a 15-year-old girl who said Myers Park High School administrators failed to investigate her on-campus rape.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In March, two days of U.S. attacks killed more than 50 people, Houthi officials said.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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After the attack, the juvenile creature was seen floating lifeless in the water, video footage shows.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In legal terms, the lawsuits are saying oil and gas companies violated consumer-protection laws and committed common-law civil violations such as negligence.—
Hannah Wiseman,
The Conversation,
18 Apr. 2025
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In a series of lawsuits following the order, plaintiffs, including 22 Democratic state attorneys general and immigrant rights advocates, argued that Trump's order violates a right protected by the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment: anyone born in the United States is a citizen.—
Terry Moseley,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Noun
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The post was an apparent violation of Major League Baseball’s social media policy, which prohibits the use of electronic devices during games.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
In legal terms, the lawsuits are saying oil and gas companies violated consumer-protection laws and committed common-law civil violations such as negligence.—
Hannah Wiseman,
The Conversation,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Well, that portion of the proclamation has spurred quite an onslaught of chuckles and guffaws.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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For whatever reason, the default federal approach has been to assume that U.S. taxpayers should help pay for any efforts needed to slow the sewage onslaught from Tijuana.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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However, no amount of care or good intentions can prevent the sudden demolition of the brothers’ home, courtesy of a vague order from the IDF — for which the family is even forced to pay.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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Kosminsky’s latest intervention comes as UK Parliament’s Culture, Media & Sport Committee recommended that, if the industry can’t design its own scheme, the government should force the likes of Netflix to pay a 5% revenue levy into a cultural fund that supports local high-end TV production.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Assault.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assault. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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