onslaught

[on-slawt, awn-]

See more synonyms for onslaught on Thesaurus.com

noun

an onset, assault, or attack, especially a vigorous one.

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for onslaught

Contemporary Examples

Nearby, Loescher added, parking lots are a great place to see the onslaught.
The Fiery Underground Oil Pit Eating L.A.
Geoff Manaugh
December 6, 2014
And the onslaught of the elements has helped raise tensions to the point where a new explosion is expected any day.
Ukraine Could Explode in the Next 48 Hours
Anna Nemtsova
November 10, 2014
Now Tehran is making mass arrests to try to stop the onslaught.
Iran Says It’s Under Attack by ISIS
Jassem Al Salami
October 9, 2014
She said the weapons were meant for ISIS troops involved in the onslaught on Rojava.
The Turks to ISIS: ‘Let’s Make a Deal’
Thomas Seibert
September 21, 2014
More than a dozen times he rescued the U.S. from the Belgian onslaught, improbably blocking shot after shot.
Team USA Lost, but Tim Howard Is a Winner
Emily Shire
July 1, 2014

Historical Examples

And the surprise of his onslaught proved an ally of unguessed potency.
The Black Bag
Louis Joseph Vance
Kirkwood turned to meet her onslaught with a mien grave, determined, unflinching.
The Black Bag
Louis Joseph Vance
And so forty-eight hours were left one to prepare for the onslaught.
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete
Emile Zola
If so, he could easily have risked some 20,000 in the first onslaught.
Diary from November 12, 1862, to October 18, 1863
Adam Gurowski
General Foch not only checked the German onslaught, but drove it back.
The Story of the Great War, Volume II (of VIII)
Various

British Dictionary definitions for onslaught

onslaught

noun

a violent attack

Word Origin

C17: from Middle Dutch aenslag, from aan on + slag a blow, related to slay

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for onslaught

n.

1620s, anslaight, somehow from or on analogy of Dutch aanslag "attack," from Middle Dutch aenslach, from aen "on" (see on) + slach "blow," related to slaen "slay." Spelling influenced by obsolete (since c.1400) English slaught (n.) "slaughter," from Old English sleaht (see slaughter (n.)). No record of its use in 18c.; apparently revived by Scott.

onslaught

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}onslaught

Examples from the Web for onslaught

Contemporary Examples

Nearby, Loescher added, parking lots are a great place to see the onslaught.

And the onslaught of the elements has helped raise tensions to the point where a new explosion is expected any day.

Now Tehran is making mass arrests to try to stop the onslaught.

She said the weapons were meant for ISIS troops involved in the onslaught on Rojava.

More than a dozen times he rescued the U.S. from the Belgian onslaught, improbably blocking shot after shot.

Historical Examples

And the surprise of his onslaught proved an ally of unguessed potency.

Kirkwood turned to meet her onslaught with a mien grave, determined, unflinching.

And so forty-eight hours were left one to prepare for the onslaught.

If so, he could easily have risked some 20,000 in the first onslaught.

General Foch not only checked the German onslaught, but drove it back.

onslaught

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for onslaught

n.

Origin of onslaught