Onslaught: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe a fierce and overwhelming attack, often sudden. It can refer to both physical and metaphorical situations, like a sudden rush of people or a barrage of questions.

• The small village struggled to recover from the onslaught of the invading army.
• The company faced an onslaught of lawsuits after the scandal broke.

A general term for any act of aggression, whether physical, verbal, or otherwise. It is widely applicable and can be used in many different contexts, from military to personal conflicts.

• The city was under attack for several days.
• Her comments felt like a personal attack.

Refers specifically to a violent physical attack or attempt to cause harm to someone. It can also denote an attack on a fortified place. It often has a legal connotation and can be used both literally and metaphorically.

• The victim survived a brutal assault in the alley.
• The soldiers prepared for the assault on the enemy stronghold.

Typically used in military contexts to describe a planned and coordinated series of attacks aimed at defeating an enemy. It can also be used metaphorically to describe aggressive actions or strategies in non-military situations.

• The general planned a major offensive to retake the territory.
• The company launched an aggressive marketing offensive to boost sales.

Repeated from the first listing: best used to describe a fierce or violent attack, typically by people or soldiers, conveying a sense of aggression and intensity.

• The fort was not prepared for the onslaught of enemy troops.
• The company faced an onslaught of criticism after the scandal.

This term is often used to describe a great flood of water, but can also figuratively describe being overwhelmed by a large quantity of something, such as work or information.

• The deluge caused widespread damage in the coastal town.
• He was caught in a deluge of paperwork on his first day back from vacation.

Most commonly used for describing water overflowing onto normally dry land, but it can also describe a large amount of something arriving at the same time, often in a less intense fashion compared to 'deluge'.

• The heavy rains caused a flood in the basement.
• She was greeted by a flood of messages on her birthday.

This word is appropriate for describing a large mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside, but can also be used metaphorically to describe an overwhelming quantity or situation.

• The sudden avalanche buried the mountain village under meters of snow.
• She received an avalanche of emails after her promotion.