WordGarden.ioassail
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /əsˈeɪl/
US
- /əˈseɪl/
Meanings
Verb
to attack someone or something violently or aggressively
to attack someone with strong criticism, questions, or verbal pressure
to come upon someone forcefully as a noise, smell, memory, or feeling
Beyond the definition
To assail someone or something is to launch a forceful verbal or physical attack against it. Think of knights assailing a castle—a full-on, aggressive attempt to break through defenses. But "assail" isn't just about physical attacks. You can also assail an argument with strong counterpoints, or be assailed by feelings of doubt and worry. If your inbox is flooded with complaints, you might say you've been "assailed" by angry emails! It implies a relentless, overwhelming force.
The word "assail" means to attack vigorously or relentlessly. Originally, it described a physical assault—like soldiers assailing an enemy fortress. Imagine archers firing arrows and battering rams crashing against the walls; that's the energy of "assail." "The pirates assailed the merchant ship" paints a vivid picture of a fierce battle at sea.
However, "assail" isn't limited to physical violence. It frequently describes verbal attacks—harsh criticisms or accusations. A politician might assail their opponent's policies, meaning they strongly criticize them. A reviewer could assail a poorly written book with scathing remarks.
But "assail" can also be used in a more abstract way to describe being overwhelmed by something unpleasant. You might say, "She was assailed by grief after the loss of her friend," or "He was assailed by doubts about his decision." In these cases, it's not an external attacker, but internal feelings that are overwhelming and relentless.
The key takeaway is that "assail" implies a forceful, persistent attack—whether physical, verbal, or emotional. It's more than just criticizing something; it's launching a full-scale offensive against it. Think of it as being bombarded from all sides.
Examples
- 1
Siege
The castle was assailed for three days before the defenders finally gave up.
- 2
Press questions
As soon as the senator stepped outside, she was assailed by angry questions from reporters.
- 3
Family questions
When he got home, his children assailed him with questions about the trip.
- Patternassail someone with questions
ask them many questions at once
- 4
Inner doubts
In the quiet after the meeting, he was assailed by doubts about whether he had made the right decision.
- Patternbe assailed by doubts
suddenly feel many strong doubts
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Strong smell
The moment they opened the old box, they were assailed by the smell of smoke and dust.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- assailverb
Forms
- assailedpast tenseverb
- assailing-ing formverb
- assailsverb