assault

American  

[uh-sawlt] / əˈsɔlt /

noun

1. a sudden, violent attack; onslaught.

   an assault on tradition.

   Synonyms:

   aggression, invasion, charge, onset

2. Law. an unlawful physical attack upon another; an attempt or offer to do violence to another, with or without battery, as by holding a stone or club in a threatening manner.

3. Military. the stage of close combat in an attack.

4. rape.

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verb (used with object)

1. to make an assault upon; attack; assail.

assault British  

/ əˈsɔːlt /

noun

1. a violent attack, either physical or verbal

2. law an intentional or reckless act that causes another person to expect to be subjected to immediate and unlawful violence Compare battery assault and battery

3. 1. the culmination of a military attack, in which fighting takes place at close quarters

   2. ( as modifier )

      assault troops

4. rape or attempted rape

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verb

1. to make an assault upon

2. to rape or attempt to rape

Related Words

See attack.

Other Word Forms

• assaultable adjective
• assaulter noun
• assaultive adjective
• counterassault verb (used with object)
• nonassault noun
• unassaultable adjective
• unassaulted adjective

Etymology

Origin of assault

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English asaut, from Old French, from Medieval Latin assaltus “attacked,” past participle of assalīre “to attack, jump on,” replacing Latin assilīre, both ultimately from Latin as- as- + salīre “to jump, leap”

Explanation

An assault is an attack. Getting punched, yelled at, or bombed are all types of assault. To assault is to attack or bombard someone in some way. Fighter planes can make an aerial assault, while ground troops make a ground assault. Verbal assault consists of insults, swearing, or threats. A strong criticism, like a negative review in the newspaper, is a written assault. Physical assault can range from getting pushed to getting shot. You could even say "That music is so loud it's assaulting my ear drums!"

Example Sentences

With a helicopter circling overhead, police in armored vehicles rolled up to the Sunshine Motel in downtown San Bernardino and jumped out with assault rifles at the ready.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2026

The coordinated weekend attacks marked the largest assault in the west African country in nearly 15 years.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

Ajewole told the inquiry she would have been made aware of that assault during a handover, but in Calocane's risk assessment form, recorded no mention of it.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

A 10-page dossier on Mr. Lynch—the American ICC official who was Mr. Khan’s right-hand man until he reported the assault allegation—was shared among researchers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

Now he was one small soldier in a city preparing for a great assault, clad in the proud but sombre manner of the Tower of Guard.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Related Words

• aggression
• charge
• incursion
• invasion
• offensive
• onslaught
• rape
• strike
• violation