Nearby Words
| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack, usually with words |
| Synonyms: | abuse, assault, bash, berate, beset, blast, blister, bust, charge, come at, criticize, encounter, have at, impugn, invade, lambaste, lay into, malign, maltreat, molest, revile, set upon, trash*, vilify, work over |
| Notes: | to assail a task is to approach it with the intent of mastering it, from Latin salire 'to leap'; assault is also based on this word and assail and assault can be synonyms |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | assault |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack |
| Synonyms: | abuse, advance, assail, bash, beset, blast, blitz, bushwhack, charge, come down on, go for, haul off on, invade, jump, jump down one's throat, jump on one's case, lay into, let have it, light into, rape, ruin, set upon, shoot down, slam, slap around, storm, strike, trash, violate, work over, zap |
| Notes: | to assail a task is to approach it with the intent of mastering it, from Latin salire 'to leap'; assault is also based on this word and assail and assault can be synonyms assault is an attempt or threat to do physical harm while battery is unjustified application of force; assault and battery is carrying out of threatened physical harm or violence |
| Main Entry: | attack |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | assault physically |
| Synonyms: | advance, aggress, ambush, assail, assault, bash, bat, bean, beat, beset, besiege, biff, blast, blister, boff, bombard, boot, bop, brain*, bust, charge, chop down, clip, clock, club, combat, cook*, harm, hit, hurt, infiltrate, invade, jump, kick, knock block off, knock cold, knock for a loop, larrup, lay siege to, light into, molest, mug, overwhelm, pounce upon, punch, raid, rush, set upon, slog, soak, stab, storm, strike, take the offensive, turn on, wallop, whop |
| Antonyms: | aid, defend, protect, resist, retreat, shelter, shield, submit, support, surrender, sustain |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | beset |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | plague; hem in |
| Synonyms: | aggress, assail, attack, badger, bedevil, beleaguer, besiege, bug*, circle*, compass, dog*, drive up the wall, embarrass, encircle, enclose, encompass, entangle, environ, fall on, fall upon, girdle, give a bad time, give a hard time, give one the business, give the needle, harass, harry, hassle, infest, invade, jump on one's case, nag, nudge, overrun, perplex, pester, pick on, put the squeeze on, ride, ring, start in on, storm, strike, surround |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | besiege |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | surround; assault |
| Synonyms: | assail, attack, beleaguer, beset, blockade, come at from all sides, confine, congregate, encircle, encompass, environ, hem in, invest, lay siege to, shut in, trap, work on, work over |
| Antonyms: | leave alone |
| Main Entry: | bombard |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | assault, attack |
| Synonyms: | assail, barrage, batter, beset, besiege, blast, blitz, bomb, cannonade, catapult, fire upon, harass, hound, launch, open fire, pester, pound, shell, strafe, strike |
| Main Entry: | charge |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack |
| Synonyms: | assail, assault, blindside, bolt, buck, bushwhack, chase, dash, invade, jump on, lunge, mug, rush, smash, stampede, storm, tear |
| Antonyms: | retreat |
| Main Entry: | come at |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack |
| Synonyms: | assail, assault, charge, fall upon, fly at, go for, invade, light into, rush |
| Main Entry: | engage |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | start a fight; attack |
| Synonyms: | assail, assault, combat, do battle with, encounter, face, fall on, give battle to, join battle with, launch, meet, strike, take on |
| Antonyms: | give up, surrender, yield |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
