onslaught
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of onslaught
1615–25; < Dutch aanslag a striking, (earlier) attack (equivalent to aan on + slag blow, stroke; akin to slay ), with assimilation to obsolete slaught slaughter
Explanation
Onslaught is a military term that refers to an attack against an enemy. It's safe to say that no one wants to be caught on the receiving end of an onslaught, because there will be lots of danger, destruction and probably death. One way to help you remember the brutal meaning of onslaught is through the word's English origin, slaught, meaning "slaughter." But onslaught can be used in non-military ways, too. It can mean a barrage of written or spoken communication, like an onslaught of emailed birthday wishes. Taken individually, the birthday wishes are nice but an onslaught is too many, too fast, all at once. Onslaught can also mean a sudden and severe start of trouble. For example, if your office is unprepared for the onslaught of flu season, the entire sales force will be home sick at the same time.
Vocabulary lists containing onslaught
Words from "The Avengers"
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Franklin D. Roosevelt, "A Date That Will Live In Infamy" (1941)
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"The Diary of Anne Frank," Vocabulary from the drama
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But he said Cuba had "the absolute and legitimate right to defend itself against a military onslaught."
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
"Pakistan's ability to weather the initial Indian onslaught played to its strategic advantage, even though it is less clear what would have happened if the conflict had continued," Markey told the BBC.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Season 2 returned nine years later to wrestle with Peak TV’s onslaught.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
Meanwhile, outside the congregation, the onslaught of condemnation continued.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
But was this flight or was it onslaught?
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
