v. 25B6; verb
the army moved in to assail the enemy : ATTACK, assault, pounce on, set upon/about, fall on, charge, rush, storm; informal lay into, tear into, pitch into.
she was assailed by doubts : PLAGUE, torment, rack, beset, dog, trouble, disturb, worry, bedevil, nag, vex.
critics assailed the policy : CRITICIZE, censure, attack, condemn, pillory, revile; informal knock, slam; Brit. informal slate, slag off; formal castigate.