Assault means to attack someone violently, either physically or verbally. When someone assaults another person, they might hit, push, or try to hurt them physically. A soldier might assault an enemy position during battle. A robber might assault someone to steal their belongings.

The word can also describe a fierce verbal attack. If someone shouts cruel insults at another person, they're making a verbal assault. In this sense, assault means attacking with words rather than fists.

In law, assault has a specific meaning: threatening or attempting to hurt someone, even if no actual contact happens. If someone swings a punch at you but misses, that's still assault in legal terms. The related word battery means actually making harmful physical contact.

An assailant is someone who carries out an assault.

You might hear the phrase assault on used metaphorically, like “an assault on common sense” when someone makes a ridiculous argument, or “an assault on the senses” when something is overwhelmingly loud, bright, or smelly.