1
as in raid
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
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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
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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
Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
The Indian government blamed Pakistan for the attack and, two weeks later, launched strikes at its northern neighbor.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Kirk had attacked Omar both personally and politically in the past.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attack
Noun
The case against Cracker Barrel Biglari’s attack on Cracker Barrel began in the early 2010s when his reputation was bolstered by Steak ‘n Shake’s turnaround.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
The Indian government blamed Pakistan for the attack and, two weeks later, launched strikes at its northern neighbor.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
The weapon’s specialized seeker allows the use of Mark 80-series bombs for attacking ships.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Kirk had attacked Omar both personally and politically in the past.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attack
Noun
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Though the United States decided against deportation, images of the workers being chained and handcuffed during the raid caused widespread alarm in South Korea.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Following the indictment, the FBI on Wednesday conducted a raid near Augusta, Georgia, arresting leaders after years of allegations that the church operated like a cult and preyed on military communities nationwide.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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While some market participants fear another bout of labor market weakness could trigger a fresh recession, Wilson disagrees.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2025
-
As the family noted in the statement, Hatton not only had a comeback fight scheduled in December but was also preparing for a trip to Dubai to promote the bout.—
Evan Bell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The neighbor, who denied any political motivations in the attack, pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of Congress was sentenced to eight months behind bars.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
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In April, 2021, two Chinese women were assaulted outside the town’s only Asian grocery store.—
Beth Lew-Williams,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
During hours of debate on Friday, which Republicans eventually shut down using a procedural move, Democrats continued to slam the new map as detrimental to voters – particularly for voters in Kansas City, Missouri, which would be split among multiple districts.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
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Other coffee bean-growing countries are also being slammed with tariffs.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Fraser and Schweigert also laid out a four-quadrant model on how to approach high-stakes situations.—
Katherine Fung,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
The plane then slows down and comes to a stop as airport staff approach the jet.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Mad Men would be named Best Drama for a third straight year and Temple Grandin commenced what turned out to be a seemingly endless onslaught at every applicable awards show, as the TV-movie tied an Emmy record with five major wins.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
13 Sep. 2025
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Poland was not alone in defending its citizens from the Russian onslaught meant for Ukraine.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Lead in any amount can cause health problems, particularly in children, whether a person breathes it in or ingests it, while extremely high lead levels can cause a seizure, coma or death.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Bars the government from unreasonable search and seizure of an individual or their private property.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Just five days later, on September 9, demonstrators stormed and set fire to key government buildings, deposing the administration, as the BBC reported.—
Javier Bastardo,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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And in a rural field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a similar ceremony marked by moments of silence, the reading of names and the laying of wreaths, will honor the victims of Flight 93, the hijacked plane that crashed after crew members and passengers tried to storm the cockpit.—
Philip Marcelo,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attack. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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