Assault meaning

What does “assault” mean? Definitions, examples, synonyms and opposites.

“assault” is a noun and verb with 7 meanings. Its most common meaning is: close fighting during the culmination of a military attack.

assault

noun

  1. close fighting during the culmination of a military attack

  2. a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped

  3. thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1946

  4. the crime of forcing a person to submit to sexual intercourse against his or her will

verb

  1. attack someone physically or emotionally

    “The mugger assaulted the woman”

    “Nightmares assailed him regularly”

  2. force (someone) to have sex against their will

    “The woman was raped on her way home at night”

  3. attack in speech or writing

    “The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker”

Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University