1
as in attacking
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
the union organizers assailed the chemical company for failing to provide a safe working environment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in assaulting
to take sudden, violent action against
the small birds assailed the larger one that had threatened their nest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of assailing
The race partly revolved around the war in Gaza, with Lander assailing Goldman for not being critical enough of Israel.
—
Jesse Bedayn,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Rabb was propelled by a constellation of progressive groups, charting a path to victory partly by assailing his own party as listening more to donors than voters.
—
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been assailing oil terminals and refineries deep inside Russia with long-range drones and missiles, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s economy.
—
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Trump has singled out Moore for criticism, blaming him for a Potomac sewage spill, assailing his handing of Baltimore's bridge collapse and invoking a controversy over his military record.
—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Horvath, 43, has been one of the mayor’s most outspoken critics over the past year, assailing her record on homelessness and last year’s Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead.
—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
In 1495 Columbus retaliated by assailing Taíno villages and capturing chiefs.
—
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Jesse Bedayn,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Rabb was propelled by a constellation of progressive groups, charting a path to victory partly by assailing his own party as listening more to donors than voters.
—
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been assailing oil terminals and refineries deep inside Russia with long-range drones and missiles, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s economy.
—
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Trump has singled out Moore for criticism, blaming him for a Potomac sewage spill, assailing his handing of Baltimore's bridge collapse and invoking a controversy over his military record.
—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Horvath, 43, has been one of the mayor’s most outspoken critics over the past year, assailing her record on homelessness and last year’s Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead.
—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
In 1495 Columbus retaliated by assailing Taíno villages and capturing chiefs.
—
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assailing
Verb
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He is accused of attacking a 27-year-old man with a beer mug inside the Hula Bar on Saturday night.
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Liv Morgan controversially interrupted Iyo Sky's coronation, attacking her and forcing a tap-out.
Verb
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In 2017 and 2018, Werhan was arrested on separate occasions in Pittsfield, Massachusetts for allegedly assaulting his father and girlfriend, according to the warrant affidavit.
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Weinstein was originally convicted of assaulting both Mann and Haley in 2020, but that verdict was overturned on a 4-3 vote by the state’s highest court in 2024.
Verb
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An on-and-off again rivalry during the primary The two men shared a similar message during the primary, slamming Democrats for mismanaging the state and calling for tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks.
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Also in 2007, Spencer was sentenced concurrently to seven years in prison for choking a woman, slamming her head to the ground, and robbing her of her cellphone, and for smashing into a woman's car and ransacking it, prosecutors said.
Verb
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Want to stop raiding the fridge every night before bed?
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While our dreams of raiding Tay Tay’s closet will likely never come true, that won’t stop of from borrowing her style and shopping Swift’s favorite designer brands.
Verb
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They were easily beaten by Brazil in the final match of the group stage, and their head coach Steve Clarke came in for criticism after storming out of his post-match interview before stepping down from his role when their exit was confirmed on Saturday.
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Listen to Hoffman discuss storming out of the Emmys in the Bald and the Beautiful episode above.
Cite this Entry
“Assailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assailing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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