Search Results
Advanced Search
List Builder
Random Word

assail

To assail is to attack or assault — with throwing stars, fists, words or, less tangibly but just as violently, with troubles or doubts.

Believe it or not, assail evolved from the ancient Latin word assilire, which means "to jump on." So picture an attacker jumping on you, throwing punches and maybe some insults, too. Because assail also means to ridicule or heap your worries upon someone. As novelist Charlotte Bronte noted, “Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last.” Think on that.

DEFINITIONS OF: assail

v attack someone physically or emotionally

“Nightmares assailed him regularly”

Synonyms:: assault, attack, set on

Types:: show 14 types...; hide 14 types...; bait
attack with dogs or set dogs upon; set, sic
urge to attack someone; bulldog
attack viciously and ferociously; rush
attack suddenly; blindside
attack or hit on or from the side where the attacked person's view is obstructed; savage
attack brutally and fiercely; reassail
assail again; jump
make a sudden physical attack on; beset, set upon
assail or attack on all sides: "The zebra was beset by leopards"; assault, dishonor, dishonour, outrage, rape, ravish, violate
force (someone) to have sex against their will; desecrate, outrage, profane, violate
violate the sacred character of a place or language; molest
harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to; bear down, charge
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle; gang-rape
rape (someone) successively with several attackers

v attack in speech or writing

Synonyms:: assault, attack, lash out, round, snipe

Types:: show 11 types...; hide 11 types...; abuse, blackguard, clapperclaw, shout
use foul or abusive language towards; claw
attack as if with claws; vitriol
subject to bitter verbal abuse; rip
criticize or abuse strongly and violently; whang
attack forcefully; barrage, bombard
address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage; blister, scald, whip
subject to harsh criticism; rubbish
attack strongly; slang
abuse with coarse language; rail, revile, vilify, vituperate
spread negative information about; curse
heap obscenities upon

Type of:: criticise, criticize, knock, pick apart
find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws

v launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with

“Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week”

Synonyms:: attack

: aggress, attack
take the initiative and go on the offensive

Antonyms:: defend
be on the defensive; act against an attack

Types:: show 34 types...; hide 34 types...; submarine
attack by submarine; pelt, pepper
attack and bombard with or as if with missiles; hit, strike
make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target; counterattack, counterstrike
make a counterattack; gas
attack with gas; subject to gas fumes; storm, surprise
attack by storm; attack suddenly; blitz
attack suddenly and without warning; invade, occupy
march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation; beleaguer, besiege, circumvent, hem in, surround
surround so as to force to give up; bomb, bombard
throw bombs at or attack with bombs; strafe
attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane; cannonade
attack with cannons or artillery; torpedo
attack or hit with torpedoes; bust, raid
search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on; slice
hit a ball so that it causes a backspin; chop
hit sharply; stroke
strike a ball with a smooth blow; teargas
attack with teargas; subject to teargas fumes; blockade, seal off
impose a blockade on; ebb
hem in fish with stakes and nets so as to prevent them from going back into the sea with the ebb; carpet bomb
bomb a large area systematically and extensively; bomb out
make somebody homeless by destroying their houses with bombs; dive-bomb
bomb from a diving airplane; glide-bomb
bomb by gliding; skip-bomb
attack with delayed release bombs; atom-bomb, nuke
bomb with atomic weapons; hydrogen-bomb
attack with a hydrogen bomb; pattern-bomb
bomb in certain patterns; atomise, atomize, nuke, zap
strike at with firepower or bombs; letter bomb
send an explosive to; firebomb
attack with incendiary bombs; blast, shell
use explosives on; retaliate, strike back
make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil; infest, overrun
invade in great numbers

Type of:: contend, fight, struggle
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

Learn Launch

WORD FAMILY

USAGE EXAMPLES