What does "assault" mean?
A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc.
Assault
/əˈsɔlt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc.
- Grammar: assault is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: attack, strike, a shove, abuse.
- Useful contrasts: calm, consent, defence.
- Usage evidence: We were not prepared for the assault.
How to use "assault"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "assault" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "assault" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "assault" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "assault" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "assault" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "attack" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "assault", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc. countable, uncountable
"The army made an assault on the enemy."
- 2 a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped wordnet
- 3 A violent verbal attack, for example with insults, criticism, and the like countable, uncountable
"She launched a written assault on the opposition party."
- 4 the crime of forcing a person to submit to sexual intercourse against his or her will wordnet
- 5 An attempt to commit battery: a violent attempt, or willful effort with force or violence, to do hurt to another, but without necessarily touching the person, such as by raising a fist in a threatening manner, or by striking at the person and missing. countable, uncountable
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 close fighting during the culmination of a military attack wordnet
- 7 The crime whose action is such an attempt. countable, singular, singular-only, uncountable
- 8 An act that causes someone to apprehend imminent bodily harm (such as brandishing a weapon). countable, uncountable
- 9 The tort whose action is such an act. countable, singular, singular-only, uncountable
- 10 A non-competitive combat between two fencers. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To attack, physically or figuratively; to assail. transitive
"Tom was accused of assaulting another man outside a nightclub."
- 2 attack in speech or writing wordnet
- 3 To threaten or harass. transitive
- 4 attack someone physically or emotionally wordnet
- 5 force (someone) to have sex against their will wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We were not prepared for the assault."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "assault"?
Common synonyms include: attack, strike, a shove, abuse, aggravated assault, aggress.
How do you use "assault" in a sentence?
We were not prepared for the assault.
How do you pronounce "assault"?
Pronounced /əˈsɔlt/.
Etymology
From Middle English assaut, from Old French noun assaut, derived from the past participle of the verb assalir, from Late Latin assalīre, from Latin ad (“at, towards”) + salīre (“jump”). See also assail. Spelling Latinized around 1530 to add an l.