onslaught

noun

on·​slaught ˈän-ˌslȯt 

ˈȯn-

: an especially fierce attack

… the tremendous onslaught across the Rhine …

—Winston Churchill

also : something resembling such an attack

an onslaught of technological changes

Employers are expecting an onslaught of recent college graduates.

Synonyms of onslaught

• attack
• assault
• offensive
• raid
• offense
• aggression
• strike

Examples of onslaught in a Sentence

an onslaught by the enemy

the massive onslaught of enemy troops caught the country by surprise

Recent Examples on the Web

Stanton lost track, among the acronyms’ proliferating onslaught, of the chain of hook-ups. — Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026

Despite this online onslaught, many actors across sub-Saharan Africa are actively standing up to combat falsehoods with facts. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2026

The film comes amidst an onslaught of new movies, both narrative and documentary, centered on tech personalities. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026

The onslaught aims to terrorize civilians, officials and analysts say, and break their will to resist Russia’s full-scale invasion since 2022. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

modification of Dutch aanslag act of striking; akin to Old English an on and to Old English slēan to strike — more at slay

First Known Use

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for onslaught

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

onslaught

noun

on·​slaught ˈän-ˌslȯt 

ˈȯn-

: a violent attack