An onslaught is a fierce, overwhelming attack that comes with great force and intensity. When a basketball team launches an onslaught of three-pointers in the final quarter, they attack relentlessly, one shot after another, giving their opponents no time to recover. When a castle faced an onslaught from enemy forces, waves of attackers kept coming without pause.

The word captures that sense of being overwhelmed by something powerful and continuous. A teacher might face an onslaught of questions after announcing a surprise field trip. A town might prepare for an onslaught of tourists during summer vacation. A debate team captain might plan how to handle an onslaught of arguments from their opponents.

Notice that onslaught suggests a sustained assault that keeps coming. You might handle one problem easily, but an onslaught of problems, one after another, tests your ability to stay calm and focused. It still carries that sense of an unstoppable advancing force, whether you're talking about actual battles, a flood of homework assignments, or your little brother’s onslaught of silly jokes at dinner.