Word
assail
Phoneticsas·sail, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈseɪɫ/
UK/ɐsˈeɪl/
Definition
v. to attack someone or something suddenly and strongly. This can be a physical attack or a strong verbal attack, like criticizing someone's ideas.
v. to attack someone or something violently or persistently, either physically or through intense verbal criticism. Often used metaphorically to describe being overwhelmed by sensory input or difficult emotions.
Examples
“The politician was assailed by reporters as he left the building.”
“As soon as she opened the door, a terrible smell assailed her nostrils, forcing her to cover her face.”
“The company was assailed by a series of lawsuits and public scandals that eventually led to the resignation of its entire board of directors.”
Examples
simple
“The politician was assailed by reporters as he left the building.”
contextual
“As soon as she opened the door, a terrible smell assailed her nostrils, forcing her to cover her face.”
complex
“The company was assailed by a series of lawsuits and public scandals that eventually led to the resignation of its entire board of directors.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “assail” in context.
Verb
01. assail with
“Reporters began to assail the candidate with questions about his past.”
verb + prep
Noun
02. assail critic
“The director was assailed by critics for his controversial casting choices.”
verb + noun
03. assail ear
“A cacophony of car horns assailed his ears in the morning traffic.”
verb + noun
04. assail sense
“The smell of rotting fish assailed my senses as I entered the market.”
verb + noun
05. assailant
“The victim managed to describe her assailant to the police.”
noun derivative
06. assault
“The sudden assault on the capital took the military by surprise.”
noun synonym
07. bitterly assail
“Opposition leaders bitterly assail the government's new tax policy.”
adv + verb
08. constantly assail
“Doubts began to constantly assail his mind as the deadline approached.”
adv + verb
09. physically assail
“He was accused of attempting to physically assail a security guard.”
adv + verb
10. assail with a barrage of
“The witness was assailed with a barrage of hostile questions from the lawyer.”
11. be assailed by a stench
“Upon opening the abandoned cellar, we were assailed by a foul stench.”
12. be assailed by doubts
“After the failure of his first business, he was assailed by doubts about his future.”
Usage
Transitive — always takes a direct object. Frequently appears in the passive voice when describing a person being overwhelmed by questions or smells.
Real-World Examples
“WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump assailed a woman TV news host in highly personal terms on Thursday, calling her "crazy" and alleging she had been bleeding at one point from a facelift, in a Twitter attack that drew strong criticism, including from fellow Republicans.” “The move, taken on Friday after a 4-2 managing partners' vote, has been assailed by editorial staff, who called it an unprecented instance of interference from the group's business side.” Etymology
From Middle English assailen, from Old French assaillir, assalir, from Late Latin assalīre, from Latin ad (“at, towards”) + salīre (“jump”). See also assault.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Rare
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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