1
as in assaulting
to take sudden, violent action against
our dog unexpectedly attacked the mailman, sinking his teeth into the startled man's leg
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slamming
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
the mayor and all his aides were attacked mercilessly in the press when the scandal erupted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tackling
to start work on energetically
Courtney attacked the huge mess in her room with determination and enthusiasm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attacking
The strategy marks a shift toward attacking cartels’ financial systems as law enforcement pressure mounts on traditional drug routes.
—
Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Dan Ndoye is capable of playing in a central attacking role and Morgan Gibbs-White has looked handy playing in a more advanced role.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The fourth winter of Russia's war on Ukraine has been the most brutal in recent times, and the Russians have weaponized this by repeatedly attacking Ukraine's energy grid.
—Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 4 Feb. 2026
Desmon Yancy, a progressive who voted with mayoral opponents, questioning why Johnson was still attacking the budget for allegedly being short $163 million.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Desmond was arrested on June 28, 2023, after attacking Khan outside a service celebrating the the Islam holiday of Eid al-Adha.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities last March launched an online ad campaign attacking Lamont for not doing more to ease property tax burdens.
—John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
The president also shared clips of the video on his Truth Social handle, along with posts mocking and attacking Pretti.
—Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Stay focused on the issue, rather than attacking the other person’s character.
—Molly Burrets, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Dan Ndoye is capable of playing in a central attacking role and Morgan Gibbs-White has looked handy playing in a more advanced role.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The fourth winter of Russia's war on Ukraine has been the most brutal in recent times, and the Russians have weaponized this by repeatedly attacking Ukraine's energy grid.
—Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 4 Feb. 2026
Desmon Yancy, a progressive who voted with mayoral opponents, questioning why Johnson was still attacking the budget for allegedly being short $163 million.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Desmond was arrested on June 28, 2023, after attacking Khan outside a service celebrating the the Islam holiday of Eid al-Adha.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities last March launched an online ad campaign attacking Lamont for not doing more to ease property tax burdens.
—John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
The president also shared clips of the video on his Truth Social handle, along with posts mocking and attacking Pretti.
—Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Stay focused on the issue, rather than attacking the other person’s character.
—Molly Burrets, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attacking
Verb
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One rider was banned for a year on May 14, 2025 for assaulting a security officer and was banned again for a year just two days later for assaulting a CATS contractor on the Blue Line platform, records obtained by the Observer show.—
Amber Gaudet
Updated February 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
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Investigators said detectives with the Daytona Beach Police Department later found two video clips on Melady’s cellphone allegedly showing him assaulting the woman inside the ambulance.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The xAI-SpaceX merger is still fresh, AI fears have been slamming software stocks, and Moltbook—a social network for personal AI agents—blew up the Internet.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
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Heathcliff acts like a whiny little baby throughout this film, constantly throwing tantrums, running away, and slamming doors.—
Cazzie David,
Vogue,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What followed were online videos of an officer tackling a student, and many rushes to judgement, including from those criticizing cops for excessive force and demanding accountability.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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The film is timely in tackling artificial intelligence.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has stressed that the agency is not invading or raiding classrooms.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
5 Feb. 2026
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But is raiding your retirement for a home purchase a financially sound idea?—
Becca Stanek,
TheWeek,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Crucially, the film avoids the trap of scolding younger generations or romanticizing the past.—
Beandrea July,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
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Sanders, by now a perennial candidate, perfected his craggy, scolding, mitten-waving style.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the attack, suspects were identified approaching the yellow line in southern Khan Younis and were deemed a threat to the troops.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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At one point, Woods tapped the back of his head, signaling that the seal was approaching.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This is the second time in three seasons that Duke has been on the other end of a court storming gone wrong.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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Officials reviewed the play and determined time was left, so fans had to be cleared for Duke to get one final play before storming the court again when the clock officially hit zero.—
Aaron Beard,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The couple was accused of abusing Ethan and their 3-year-old son.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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According to the lawsuit, Myer allegedly began abusing his police powers against Gabriele in September 2021.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attacking. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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