assailant

noun

ə-ˈsā-lənt How to pronounce assailant (audio)
Definition of assailantnext
as in attacker
one who violently sets upon another the darkness prevented me from getting a good look at my assailant

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of assailant All involved Black assailants, at least three aged between 15 and 20 and nearly the same height and weight as Weakfall or Broadwater. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, was attacked in 2022 by a hammer-wielding assailant. — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 June 2026 Security forces killed three attackers and arrested another assailant, whom the military identified as an Afghan national in wounded condition. — CBS News, 28 June 2026 The state also sought to undercut the defense theory that the DNA could point to an unknown suspect, arguing that trace DNA under fingernails does not automatically suggest a struggle with an assailant. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for assailant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assailant
  1. attacker
  2. assaulter
Noun
  • Arias had just received a yellow card after sticking out his leg to slow a Ghana attacker.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
  • Real Madrid attacker Brahim Díaz went into the right side of the box, dragging two defenders with him before laying the ball back to Ounahi to clinically score his brace.
    — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Definition of attacker
Noun
  • Any assaulter of mine spending less time on the field is A-OK, though.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 3 June 2026
  • His alleged assaulter was arrested and jailed Wednesday.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of assaulter

Browse Nearby Words

assailable
assailant
assailants
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Cite this Entry

“Assailant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assailant. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on assailant

Nglish: Translation of assailant for Spanish Speakers

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