assaulted
Set upon forcefully
Assaulted is the past tense of assault—to attack someone physically or verbally.
In legal contexts, assault often means threatening harm rather than inflicting it: He was arrested after he assaulted the officer.
The word extends to overwhelming sensory experiences: We were assaulted by the smell of garbage.
Sexually assaulted specifies a particular category of attack.
Acted aggressively against
- beatenHaving lost a contest
- struckPast tense of hitting
- hitSuccessful contact or strike
- punchedStruck with closed fist
battered · pummeled · thrashed · mauled · jumped · mugged · ambushed · overpowered
Broke a rule
- molestedAbused or harassed
- rapedSexually assaulted by force
- gropedFelt about blindly
- harassedPersistently tormented
abused · survivor · victim · consent · predator · perpetrator · coerced · exploitation
Attacked with heavy fire
- overwhelmedDefeated by sheer volume
- barragedAttacked in rapid succession
- inundatedOverwhelmed by quantity
- blastedDestroyed or damned
assailed · deafened · blinded · pummeled · battered · buffeted · besieged · flooded
Scolded severely at length
- insultedOffended by disrespect
- haranguedScolded at length
- lambastedCriticized very harshly
- vilifiedSpoke evil of
denounced · yelled at · cursed · threatened · intimidated · belittled · humiliated · demeaned
Emotionally damaged by experience
- scarredMarked by healed wounds
- shakenDisturbed or agitated
- distressedSuffering emotional turmoil
- flashbackInvoluntary past memory
PTSD · nightmare · anxiety · fear · recovery · therapy · counseling · healing
Formally accused of crime
- prosecutedLegally charged with crime
- defendantParty facing charges
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- felonySerious criminal offense
arraignment · testimony · evidence · witness · verdict · conviction · sentence · trial
attacked
Acted aggressively against
punched · battered · pummeled · thrashed · mauled · jumped · mugged · ambushed · overpowered · manhandled
violated
Broke a rule
harassed · abused · survivor · victim · consent · predator · perpetrator · coerced · exploitation · misconduct
bombarded
Attacked with heavy fire
- overwhelmedDefeated by sheer volume
- barragedAttacked in rapid succession
- inundatedOverwhelmed by quantity
blasted · assailed · deafened · blinded · pummeled · battered · buffeted · besieged · flooded · overloaded
berated
Scolded severely at length
vilified · denounced · yelled at · cursed · threatened · intimidated · belittled · humiliated · demeaned · bullied
traumatized
Emotionally damaged by experience
- scarredMarked by healed wounds
- shakenDisturbed or agitated
- distressedSuffering emotional turmoil
flashback · PTSD · nightmare · anxiety · fear · recovery · therapy · counseling · healing · survivor
charged
Formally accused of crime
- prosecutedLegally charged with crime
- defendantParty facing charges
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
felony · arraignment · testimony · evidence · witness · verdict · conviction · sentence · trial · allegation
- wrongedabused, mistreated, victimized, exploited, oppressed
- unfortunatesvictims, unfortunate, wretch, poor soul, lost soul
assaulteddefended
Shielded from harm
protected · shielded · guarded · safeguarded · resisted
- sexual assaultForced sexual contact crime
- assault riflesSelective-fire infantry firearms
- physical assaultHarmful bodily contact
- assault chargesCriminal accusations for attacking
- assault weaponMilitary-derived firearm for civilians
- unexpected assaultSudden unprovoked violence
assault, assaults, assaulting, assaulter, assaulters, assaultive, sexual assault