assail

/əˈseɪl/ (bre, ipa) · [əsˈel] /əˈseɪl/ (ame, ipa) · [əsˈel] /ə-ˈsāl How to pronounce assail (audio)/ (ame, mw)

assail — verb

  • assailpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • assailshe / she / it
  • assailedpast simple
  • assailing-ing form

1. to attack a person, group, or idea with force, either through violence or by spe

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to attack a person, group, or idea with force, either through violence or by speaking against it very strongly

例句

Police said two men assailed the driver outside the station at night.

physical attack on a person

During the debate, Yara assailed the budget plan as unfair to nurses.

assail + plan + as + adjective

同義詞
  • attack

    broader and more neutral; it works in both everyday and formal contexts

  • criticize

    weaker and more general; it does not always suggest the same force

  • denounce

    focuses on public moral or political condemnation

  • slam

    more informal and common in media headlines

反義詞
  • defend

    to support a person or idea against attack

  • praise

    to speak about someone or something with approval

文法句型

assail + person/group

assail + plan/idea

assail somebody with + criticism/questions

be assailed from/by + source of attack

用法筆記

Usually formal and common in news or serious writing. The object can be a person, group, policy, or idea, and verbal uses often add with plus criticism, accusations, or questions.

常見錯誤

❌Reporters assailed against the mayor after the vote.
✅Reporters assailed the mayor after the vote.
💡Assail takes a direct object, not 'against'.
❌Fans assailed to the referee online.
✅Fans assailed the referee online.
💡Do not add 'to' before the person being attacked.

2. to trouble someone with painful, worrying, or unpleasant things that come at the

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to trouble someone with painful, worrying, or unpleasant things that come at them from many directions

例句

Dina was assailed by doubts after she signed the apartment contract.

be assailed by + doubt

As the storm siren sounded, Omar felt assailed by memories of the war.

同義詞
  • trouble

    broader and more everyday; it can describe smaller worries

  • plague

    often suggests something keeps returning again and again

  • torment

    stronger and more intense, especially for severe suffering

  • overwhelm

    focuses on feeling unable to cope because too much is happening

反義詞
  • relieve

    to make pain, worry, or pressure less strong

  • calm

    to make someone feel quieter and less upset

文法句型

doubt/fear/pain + assail + person

be assailed by + feeling/problem

feel assailed by + many worries or messages

用法筆記

This sense is usually passive, especially in expressions like be assailed by doubts, fears, memories, or pain. Unlike sense 1, the force comes from an unpleasant feeling or condition rather than an attacking person or group.

常見錯誤

❌She was assailed from doubts all evening.
✅She was assailed by doubts all evening.
💡This passive pattern normally uses 'by'.
❌The worries assailed to him all night.
✅The worries assailed him all night.
💡Assail still takes a direct object in active sentences.