1
as in attacks
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 assaults
to take sudden, violent action against
the small birds assailed the larger one that had threatened their nest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of assails
As an example, Vance called out an essay in The Nation that assails Kirk’s views on women, homosexuality, and affirmative action.
—
Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2025
Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assails
Verb
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On Earth, the dangerous terrorist group known as the Wolfpack attacks major landmarks, such as Big Ben.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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Nektar Therapeutics said Monday that extended treatment with its experimental drug, called rezpeg, promoted greater hair growth in people with severe alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that attacks hair follicles.—
Adam Feuerstein,
STAT,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Pios’ culture assaults the senses the moment players step onto campus.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
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The White House told ProPublica that anyone who assaults federal immigration agents would be prosecuted.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hudson’s character plays dirty and slams Ness’ hand at tipoff.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
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On stage, Cameron Winter leads an overall enthralling performance, as the group slams out songs back-to-back with little to say in between; no shenanigans, just a top-notch show.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That figure has dwindled to around 3 percent as fewer candidates avail themselves of the money and Congress raids the fund for other things.—
Adam Lashinsky,
Washington Post,
12 Apr. 2026
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Some owls will hunt the wildlife that raids our garbage cans, like skunks and opossums.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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McMahon likes to remind scolds that wrestling is a morality play.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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This cross-partisan skit is refreshing and the only people who might hate it are Cuomo supporters and maybe some woke scolds.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This strikes me as an inelegant way to write Tommy off the show, if that’s indeed what’s happening.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
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When midnight strikes, everything shifts.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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OpenAI memo criticizes Anthropic watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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Schiavo raised a similar concern, noting that the National Transportation Safety Board regularly criticizes the Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators for not implementing obvious solutions, even after accidents occur.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After seeing the financial circumstances of his community members, Sinise's character enters a bank — where Wilson is the guard — and robs it for cash.—
Chris Barilla,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
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Left fielder Mark Collins robs Galloway of a hit with a diving catch.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Assails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assails. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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