ASSAIL Synonyms: 122 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'assail' contrast with its synonyms?

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

Q: When is it sensible to use 'assault' instead of 'assail'?

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

Q: When can 'attack' be used instead of 'assail'?

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

Q: When is 'bombard' a more appropriate choice than 'assail'?

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

Q: When could 'storm' be used to replace 'assail'?

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

assail

verb

ə-ˈsāl

Definition of assail

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb assail contrast with its synonyms?

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

When is it sensible to use assault instead of assail?

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

When can attack be used instead of assail?

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

When is bombard a more appropriate choice than assail?

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

bombarded the city nightly

When could storm be used to replace assail?

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

preparing to storm the fortress

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 assail Even the urologist’s office has athletic jerseys hanging in the treatment room so that men’s masculinity will not be assailed. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 July 2026 Roberts once signed on to a Kagan dissent that assailed the shadow docket. — Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 1 July 2026 Lander has assailed Goldman for accepting AIPAC’s endorsement and for voting to send military aid to Israel, which Lander has vowed to oppose. — Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026 The former increases excitability and preparedness for movement in response to the tennis equivalent of being assailed by a woolly mammoth. — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for assail

Recent Examples of Synonyms for assail

Verb

In Iran, Afghans have been attacked by mobs and baselessly accused of collaborating with Israel; some legal residents have had police tear up their documents in front of them.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026
On Saturday, an Ebola response team was attacked on the outskirts of the town of Mambasa in Ituri province while responding to a call to secure a body.

— Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of attack

Verb

Scott and Dylan walked away from faculty members and the video production crew and and Scott allegedly assaulted her in a janitor’s closet.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The reality star and superyacht bosun’s statement comes after Rolling Stone reported last week that he was arrested in Australia last December for assaulting an unnamed 29-year-old woman at a Sydney-area apartment complex.

— Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of assault

Verb

Kenzie Annis clam-slammed her way into Love Island fans’ hearts during season eight of the reality dating show and would love the chance to do it again on Dancing With the Stars.

— Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 31 Aug. 2026
In April, the Biennale art exhibition — run by the Venice Biennale Foundation, which also runs the film festival — was slammed for allowing Russia and Israel to mount shows in their pavilions.

— Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of slam

Verb

Thieves on Thursday raided the Treasure of Villena -- one of the greatest Bronze Age gold collections -- at a museum in the Spanish city of Villena, taking most of the 50-plus mainly gold bracelets, bowls, bottles and other items on display.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Mundubile, who rejected the election result as neither free nor fair, had been in hiding since security forces raided his Lusaka home during the election period.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of raid

Verb

Historically, the United States has sent mixed messages to Europeans, encouraging them to step up but then scolding them for seeking autonomy.

— JENNIFER KAVANAGH, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
In fact, during testing, the handheld triggered nostalgic memories of playing Final Fantasy Legend and Mario Land 2 on long car rides to my grandparents' house, but without the eye strain and being scolded for playing in the dark as the sun set.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of scold

Verb

In the lawsuit, investors alleged they were led to believe that a groundbreaking Wondermind app would be made, advertising deals would be struck, and celebrity cover stories were already underway.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
Floods originating from a glacial lake struck the same valley in 2025, while an ice and rock avalanche occurred elsewhere in the area in 2024.

— Sibi Arasu, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of strike

Verb

Gauff, who won the 2023 title beating Karolina Muchova, stormed out to a 5-0 lead in the first set on Sunday before winning 6-2.

— Jeff Wallner, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Or what about storming the field, the tradition that follows a momentous win, when order dissolves and players brace themselves for a horde of fans pouring out of the stands.

— Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of storm

Verb

Named after Blythe Street — a short thoroughfare flanked by overcrowded apartments — the crew had robbed, stole, peddled drugs and shot up rivals since the 1980s, seemingly untroubled by the city of Los Angeles’ attempts to defeat it.

— Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The backlash against hyperscale data centers has converted both Democrats and Republicans into AI skeptics, warning that the industry’s rise risks robbing communities of autonomy.

— David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of rob

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assail

assailable

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“Assail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assail. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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