1
as in assault
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
The USS Constitution was nicknamed "Old Ironsides" after its oaken hull successfully withstood a British attack
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bout
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder
malaria is characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to assault
to take sudden, violent action against
our dog unexpectedly attacked the mailman, sinking his teeth into the startled man's leg
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2
as in to slam
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
the mayor and all his aides were attacked mercilessly in the press when the scandal erupted
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3
as in to approach
to start work on energetically
Courtney attacked the huge mess in her room with determination and enthusiasm
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attack
Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Fewer connections mean fewer potential attack paths.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Dan Albano, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
The suspect attacked the man with a sharp object, according to police, and ran from the scene.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attack
Noun
First came Russia’s full-scale 2022 invasion of Ukraine, where many of the stories in our book are set, and then Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Fewer connections mean fewer potential attack paths.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
The junior midfielder attacked the next defender almost the same way and drew a free kick just outside the penalty box to set the stage for a dramatic ending Wednesday night.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
The suspect attacked the man with a sharp object, according to police, and ran from the scene.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attack
Noun
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Both Beijing and Hong Kong’s government have repeatedly rejected international criticism of Lai’s prosecution and dismissed accusations that his jailing was politically motivated or an assault on press freedom.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Another 43,000 arrestees are listed as having assault charges or convictions.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Silver plunged 14%, continuing a recent bout of extraordinary volatility.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
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As semiconductor stocks undergo another bout of severe volatility, Bank of America Global Research has issued a sharp rebuke of prevailing market sentiment, labeling fears driving the current tech-sector selloff as logically impossible.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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During the war, Israeli forces raided a number of hospitals, detaining hundreds of staffers.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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The report said a Plano property associated with a suspect in the investigation at the adult bookstore was also raided.—
Suryatapa Chakraborty,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Trump took to social media during the big game’s second half to slam Bad Bunny.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
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The parents of the three Miami Yacht Club summer campers who were killed last summer when a 60-foot barge slammed into their sailboat sued the company that owns the barge, alleging negligence and irresponsible hiring.—
Milena Malaver,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As Farthing was assisting in traffic control, a man approached him from behind and stabbed him in the back, sheriff's office spokesperson Kim Peters said in a news release.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Feb. 2026
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And now, as the Super Bowl approaches, that pride is about to reach an even bigger stage.—
Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Anyone who finds that offensive is telling on themselves.—
Prince J. Grimes,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
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Russia has been waging a sustained offensive against Ukraine's power grid through the winter.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The courts have granted exceptions to a seizure without a search warrant and each specific incident should be reviewed based on its facts.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Feb. 2026
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Those documents will reveal the grounds the federal government used to justify the FBI’s seizure of 2020 election records last month.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In August 2024, students stormed her official residence, smashing walls and looting its contents, forcing her to flee into neighboring India and exile.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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In their defense, the horn sounded, and the clock showed zeroes, so legions of Tar Heel blue stormed the court.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attack. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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