assail

verb

as·sail ə-ˈsāl How to pronounce assail (audio)

assailed; assailing; assails

transitive verb

: to attack violently : assault

The military has for years been developing offensive capabilities, giving it the power not just to defend the US but to assail its foes.

James Bamford

: to encounter, undertake, or confront energetically

When a lazy man does make up his mind to assail a piece of work, he is like a dog with a bone.

P. G. Wodehouse

: to oppose, challenge, or criticize harshly and forcefully

a proposal assailed by critics

… it is evident that Khrushchev was in trouble at home. The Chinese had also begun to assail him for being soft on the imperialists.

Alexander Darlin

: to trouble or afflict in a manner that threatens to overwhelm

a man assailed by doubts/fears

… but now a terrible fear began to assail me.

Bram Stoker

Many diseases stemming from bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections can assail human as well as canine systems.

Tom Ewing

: to be perceived by (a person, a person's senses, etc.) in a strongly noticeable and usually unpleasant way

Here, too, is brought … all the waste stuff of the nation—everything that is subject to rot, and that can add to the foul stench that assails our nostrils.

Edgar Rice Burroughs

assailable

ə-ˈsā-lə-bəl How to pronounce assail (audio)

adjective

Did you know?

Assail comes from an Anglo-French verb, assaillir, which itself traces back to the Latin verb assilire ("to leap upon"). Assilire combines the prefix ad- ("to, toward") with the Latin verb salire, meaning "to leap." (Salire is the root of a number of English words related to jumping or leaping, such as somersault and sally, as well as assault, a synonym of assail.) When assail was first used in the 13th century, it meant "to make a violent physical attack upon." By the early 15th century, English speakers were using the term to mean "to attack with words or arguments." Now the verb can refer to any kind of aggressive encounter, even if it is not necessarily violent or quarrelsome, as in "Upon entering the room, we were assailed by a horrible odor."

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Opponents of the plan continue to assail its fairness and the potential costs.

Danielle Douglas-gabriel, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2022 Opponents of the plan continue to assail its fairness and the potential costs.

Danielle Douglas-gabriel, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2022 And in the east, Russian forces have used long-range artillery to assail cities in the Donbas region, which Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to control.

Libby Cathey, ABC News, 21 June 2022 What’s more, journalists didn’t hesitate to assail Cimino with questions about his new look.

Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 22 May 2022 This catastrophe is unfolding as the pandemic continues to assail health systems, depleting government resources, and as the Federal Reserve and other central banks raise interest rates to choke off inflation.

New York Times, 17 May 2022 Those who like to assail corporate owners that don’t have the backs of their journalists just got a fresh and compelling case in point.

Washington Post, 9 May 2022 Even after Buscaino decided to drop out, his political strategists continued to assail Caruso on Thursday.

Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2022 RICK HESS - Biden admin found time to assail public charter schools, denounce state tests as an attack on public schools and give a taxpayer handout for college loans.

Jack Durschlag, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2022 See More

assail

verb

as in to attack

to criticize harshly and usually publicly the union organizers assailed the chemical company for failing to provide a safe working environment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

attack
scold
slam
criticize
excoriate
lambaste
vituperate
scathe
lambast
savage
insult
abuse
castigate
harass
potshot
blast
bash
berate
tie into
revile
belabor
curse
harangue
disparage
sail into
blaspheme
light into
beat up on
belittle
vilify
affront
chide
execrate
chastise
asperse
trash
slander
reprimand
harry
jump (on)
imprecate
blackguard
traduce
whip
slur
rebuke
profane
libel
bad-mouth
fulminate
put down
lace (into)
lash (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

commend
praise
hail
compliment
laud
acclaim

as in to assault

to take sudden, violent action against the small birds assailed the larger one that had threatened their nest

Synonyms & Similar Words

attack
assault
raid
storm
strike
rob
ambush
beset
invade
charge
sic
sick
set at
rush
set on
swarm
set upon
round on
fly at
pitch into
tear into
light into
beat up on
besiege
bushwhack
waylay
trash
turn (on)
descend (on or upon)
bombard
flank
pounce (on or upon)
surprise
mob
go in (on)
jump (on)
go at
ravage
ambuscade
sack
barrage
plunder
bomb
blitz
cannonade
nuke
bum-rush
cannon
pillage
beleaguer
batter
mug
harry
loot
envelop
buffet
overrun
surprize
foray
plaster
gang up (on)
press
bang away (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

defend
protect
secure
cover
guard
shield

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of assail are assault, attack, bombard, and storm. While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots.

assailed the enemy with artillery fire

The words assault and assail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught.

commandos assaulted the building from all sides

In some situations, the words attack and assail are roughly equivalent. However, attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle.

plan to attack the town at dawn

The words bombard and assail can be used in similar contexts, but bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells.

bombarded the city nightly

The synonyms storm and assail are sometimes interchangeable, but storm implies attempting to break into a defended position.

preparing to storm the fortress

单词	assail
释义	assail verb as·sail ə-ˈsāl assailed; assailing; assails transitive verb 1 : to attack violently : assault The military has for years been developing offensive capabilities, giving it the power not just to defend the US but to assail its foes. James Bamford 2 : to encounter, undertake, or confront energetically When a lazy man does make up his mind to assail a piece of work, he is like a dog with a bone. P. G. Wodehouse 3 : to oppose, challenge, or criticize harshly and forcefully a proposal assailed by critics … it is evident that Khrushchev was in trouble at home. The Chinese had also begun to assail him for being soft on the imperialists. Alexander Darlin 4 a : to trouble or afflict in a manner that threatens to overwhelm a man assailed by doubts/fears … but now a terrible fear began to assail me. Bram Stoker Many diseases stemming from bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections can assail human as well as canine systems. Tom Ewing b : to be perceived by (a person, a person's senses, etc.) in a strongly noticeable and usually unpleasant way Here, too, is brought … all the waste stuff of the nation—everything that is subject to rot, and that can add to the foul stench that assails our nostrils. Edgar Rice Burroughs assailable ə-ˈsā-lə-bəl adjective Did you know? Assail comes from an Anglo-French verb, assaillir, which itself traces back to the Latin verb assilire ("to leap upon"). Assilire combines the prefix ad- ("to, toward") with the Latin verb salire, meaning "to leap." (Salire is the root of a number of English words related to jumping or leaping, such as somersault and sally, as well as assault, a synonym of assail.) When assail was first used in the 13th century, it meant "to make a violent physical attack upon." By the early 15th century, English speakers were using the term to mean "to attack with words or arguments." Now the verb can refer to any kind of aggressive encounter, even if it is not necessarily violent or quarrelsome, as in "Upon entering the room, we were assailed by a horrible odor." Synonyms abuse attack bash belabor blast castigate excoriate jump (on) lambaste lambast potshot savage scathe slam trash vituperate See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web Opponents of the plan continue to assail its fairness and the potential costs. Danielle Douglas-gabriel, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2022 Opponents of the plan continue to assail its fairness and the potential costs. Danielle Douglas-gabriel, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2022 And in the east, Russian forces have used long-range artillery to assail cities in the Donbas region, which Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to control. Libby Cathey, ABC News, 21 June 2022 What’s more, journalists didn’t hesitate to assail Cimino with questions about his new look. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 22 May 2022 This catastrophe is unfolding as the pandemic continues to assail health systems, depleting government resources, and as the Federal Reserve and other central banks raise interest rates to choke off inflation. New York Times, 17 May 2022 Those who like to assail corporate owners that don’t have the backs of their journalists just got a fresh and compelling case in point. Washington Post, 9 May 2022 Even after Buscaino decided to drop out, his political strategists continued to assail Caruso on Thursday. Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2022 RICK HESS - Biden admin found time to assail public charter schools, denounce state tests as an attack on public schools and give a taxpayer handout for college loans. Jack Durschlag, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English, from Anglo-French assaillir, from Vulgar Latin assalire, alteration of Latin assilire* to leap upon, from ad- + salire to leap — more at sally First Known Use 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition assail verb as·sail ə-ˈsāl assailed; assailing 1 : to attack violently or angrily with blows or words His plan was assailed by critics. 2 : to be troubled or bothered by assailed by doubts A horrible odor assailed my nose. assail verb 1 as in to attack to criticize harshly and usually publicly the union organizers assailed the chemical company for failing to provide a safe working environment Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance attack scold slam criticize excoriate lambaste vituperate scathe lambast savage insult abuse castigate harass potshot blast bash berate tie into revile belabor curse harangue disparage sail into blaspheme light into beat up on belittle vilify affront chide execrate chastise asperse trash slander reprimand harry jump (on) imprecate blackguard traduce whip slur rebuke profane libel bad-mouth fulminate put down lace (into) lash (out) Antonyms & Near Antonyms commend praise hail compliment laud acclaim 2 as in to assault to take sudden, violent action against the small birds assailed the larger one that had threatened their nest Synonyms & Similar Words attack assault raid storm strike rob ambush beset invade charge sic sick set at rush set on swarm set upon round on fly at pitch into tear into light into beat up on besiege bushwhack waylay trash turn (on) descend (on or upon) bombard flank pounce (on or upon) surprise mob go in (on) jump (on) go at ravage ambuscade sack barrage plunder bomb blitz cannonade nuke bum-rush cannon pillage beleaguer batter mug harry loot envelop buffet overrun surprize foray plaster gang up (on) press bang away (at) Antonyms & Near Antonyms defend protect secure cover guard shield Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of assail are assault, attack, bombard, and storm. While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots. assailed the enemy with artillery fire The words assault and assail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught. commandos assaulted the building from all sides In some situations, the words attack and assail are roughly equivalent. However, attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle. plan to attack the town at dawn The words bombard and assail can be used in similar contexts, but bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells. bombarded the city nightly The synonyms storm and assail are sometimes interchangeable, but storm implies attempting to break into a defended position. preparing to storm the fortress
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assail

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb

Synonym Chooser