attack

[uh-tak]

verb (used with object)

1. to set upon in a forceful, violent, hostile, or aggressive way, with or without a weapon; begin fighting with.

   He attacked him with his bare hands.

   Synonyms: charge, storm
   Antonyms: defend

2. to begin hostilities against; start an offensive against.

   to attack the enemy.

3. to blame or abuse violently or bitterly.

4. to direct unfavorable criticism against; criticize severely; argue with strongly.

   He attacked his opponent's statement.

   Synonyms: abuse, oppugn, impugn, censure
   Antonyms: defend

5. to try to destroy, especially with verbal abuse.

   to attack the mayor's reputation.

6. to set about (a task) or go to work on (a thing) vigorously.

   to attack housecleaning;

   to attack the hamburger hungrily.

7. (of disease, destructive agencies, etc.) to begin to affect.

verb (used without object)

1. to make an attack; begin hostilities.

noun

1. the act of attacking; onslaught; assault.

   Synonyms: encounter, onset
   Antonyms: defense

2. a military offensive against an enemy or enemy position.

3. Pathology.,  seizure by disease or illness.

   an attack of indigestion.

4. the beginning or initiating of any action; onset.

5. an aggressive move in a performance or contest.

6. the approach or manner of approach in beginning a musical phrase.

attack

/ əˈtæk /

verb

1. to launch a physical assault (against) with or without weapons; begin hostilities (with)

2. (intr) to take the initiative in a game, sport, etc

   after a few minutes, the team began to attack

3. (tr) to direct hostile words or writings at; criticize or abuse vehemently

4. (tr) to turn one's mind or energies vigorously to (a job, problem, etc)

5. (tr) to begin to injure or affect adversely; corrode, corrupt, or infect

   rust attacked the metal

6. (tr) to attempt to rape

noun

1. the act or an instance of attacking

2. strong criticism or abuse

   an unjustified attack on someone's reputation

3. an offensive move in a game, sport, etc

4. commencement of a task, etc

5. any sudden and usually severe manifestation of a disease or disorder

   a heart attack

   an attack of indigestion

6. ball games the players in a team whose main role is to attack the opponents' goal or territory

7. music decisiveness in beginning a passage, movement, or piece

8. music the speed with which a note reaches its maximum volume

9. an attempted rape

Other Word Forms

• attacker noun
• attacking adjective
• attackable adjective
• nonattacking adjective
• postattack adjective
• proattack adjective
• reattack verb
• unattackable adjective
• unattacked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of attack¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier atta(c)que, from Middle French atta(c)quer, from Italian attaccare “to attack”; attach

Word History and Origins

Origin of attack¹

C16: from French attaquer, from Old Italian attaccare to attack, attach, from estaccare to attach, from stacca _stake ¹ ; compare _attach

Synonym Study

Attack, assail, assault, molest all mean to set upon someone forcibly, with hostile or violent intent. Attack is the most general word and applies to a beginning of hostilities, especially those definitely planned: to attack from ambush. Assail implies vehement, sudden, and sometimes repeated attack: to assail with weapons or with gossip. Assault almost always implies bodily violence: to assault with intent to kill. To molest is to harass, to threaten, or to assault: He was safe, and where no one could molest him.

Example Sentences

The last deadly shark attack in the Sydney area in 2022, when Simon Nellist - a British diving instructor - was mauled by a great white shark.

From BBC

Registrar of Voters faced attacks over the integrity of the 2024 election after unfounded allegations of forged signatures, non-U.S. citizens voting and duplicated ballots circulated on social media.

From Los Angeles Times

The authorities justify the measures by the need to protect people and infrastructure from attacks by Ukrainian drones - Kyiv's response to Russia's relentless and deadly bombardments of Ukrainian cities.

From BBC

The man’s attorney presented surveillance footage of the attack to show his client was in fact defending himself, and later requested that the charges be reduced to a misdemeanor.

From Los Angeles Times

They doubled their lead in the second half, capitalising once again with their attacking quality after City created good chances of their own, but did not take them.

From BBC

Related Words

• ambush 
• assail 
• assault 
• beat 
• besiege 
• blast 
• bombard 
• charge 
• harm 
• hit 
• hurt 
• infiltrate 
• invade 
• raid 
• stab 
• storm 
• strike 

When To Use

What is a basic definition of attack?

Attack means to attempt to inflict harm with physical violence, to attempt to inflict harm with words, or to initiate a military offensive against another. Attack has many other senses as a verb and a noun.Attack means to engage in physical violence against something with the intent to cause physical harm, damage, or death. Attacking doesn’t have to result in harm, however. For example, a person may be attacked by bees but manage to escape before actually getting stung. Someone or something that attacks is an attacker.

• Real-life examples: A lion will attack with its claws and teeth. In the past, soldiers would attack each other with swords, axes, and other weapons. A scared person may attack a lamp thinking it is a burglar.



• Used in a sentence: Ashley relentlessly attacked the piñata with a broom handle.

Attack can also mean to try to harm someone verbally. In this sense, attack means to assault someone with criticism, insults, or harsh comments. The attempted harm would be to a person’s feelings, opinions, or arguments.

• Real-life examples: Politicians are often attacked by political opponents, critics, or even the media. Unfortunately, many people are often attacked by trolls and harassers on social media. Bad or unpopular ideas are often attacked for being impossible or foolish.



• Used in a sentence: The unpopular director was attacked on social media by fans of the movie franchise.

Attack is also used in both senses as a noun.

• Used in a sentence: I barely survived the alligator’s attack.The company president was outraged by the reporter’s attack on his integrity.

Attack can also mean to initiate acts of war or begin a military offensive. This sense can also be used as a noun.

• Real-life examples: Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In 1863, General Robert E. Lee attacked the Union army at Gettysburg during the American Civil War. At the Battle of Thermopylae, almost 7,000 Greek soldiers attempted to resist the Persians’ attack.



• Used in a sentence: The United Nations was outraged by the country’s unprovoked attack of its neighbor.