Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb assail

3 senses of assail

Sense 1
assail, assault, set on, attack -- (attack someone physically or emotionally; "The mugger assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly")

Sense 2
attack, assail -- (launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with; "Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II"; "Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week")
       => contend, fight, struggle -- (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight; "the tribesmen fought each other"; "Siblings are always fighting"; "Militant groups are contending for control of the country")

Sense 3
attack, round, assail, lash out, snipe, assault -- (attack in speech or writing; "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker")
       => knock, criticize, criticise, pick apart -- (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws; "The paper criticized the new movie"; "Don't knock the food--it's free")