assault
Meaning
An assault is a deliberate and unlawful act of inflicting physical harm or the threat of harm upon an individual, often characterized by an intention to intimidate or coerce, and can encompass both physical violence and psychological intimidation.
💡 While "assault" commonly refers to physical violence, it is important to distinguish it from "battery," which specifically pertains to the actual physical act of harm; thus, "assault" can exist without physical contact if there is a credible threat involved.
Example Sentences
Word in Context
On
her
morning
commute
,
Maria
noticed
a
tense
confrontation
near
the
bus
stop
and
paused
to
check
whether
anyone
needed
assistance
.
Later
she
provided
a
clear
statement
to
an
officer
,
recounting
the
sequence
of
events
she
had
witnessed
and
pinpointing
the
moment
that
could
be
classified
as
an
assault
.
Although
she
felt
unsettled
,
she
concentrated
on
precise
details
such
as
timings
and
directions
so
that
her
testimony
would
be
useful
to
the
investigation
.
The
officer
thanked
her
for
remaining
composed
and
explained
how
reports
like
hers
can
help
prevent
similar
incidents
and
support
those
affected
.
Afterwards
,
Maria
reflected
on
the
importance
of
staying
observant
and
communicating
clearly
when
one
wants
to
contribute
responsibly
to
community
safety
.
Common Phrases
aggravated assault
sexual assault
assault and battery
Synonyms
Related Words
Never forget "assault"
Set a daily goal, reinforce with word cards and games, and track your progress in the Vocab5000 app — learn every C1 level word permanently with our science-based repetition system.
