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. the attack
   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

Derived Forms

• atˈtacker, noun
• atˈtacking, adjective
• atˈtackable, adjective

Other Words From

• at·tacka·ble adjective
• at·tacker noun
• nonat·tacking adjective
• postat·tack adjective
• proat·tack adjective
• reat·tack verb
• unat·tacka·ble adjective
• unat·tacked 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

Israel’s stated goal in its war against Hezbollah is to allow the return of about 60,000 residents who have been displaced from communities in the country’s north because of the group’s attacks.

From BBC

Smyth, a barrister and senior member of a Christian charity, was accused of attacking dozens of boys, including those he met in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s.

From BBC

Dame Angela attacked the Conservatives' record on asylum, particularly their claim that their Rwanda scheme was a deterrent.

From BBC

Chronic stress can inflict more serious damage to the immune system and make people more vulnerable to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, infertility, clinical anxiety, depression and other ailments.

From Los Angeles Times

Forays by settlers and Israeli soldiers to uproot Palestinians' olive trees, both in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, have escalated dramatically in the wake of the Hamas attack on Oct.

From Salon

Related Words

• aggression
• barrage
• charge
• incursion
• intervention
• intrusion
• invasion
• offensive
• onslaught
• outbreak
• raid
• rape
• skirmish
• strike
• violation

More About Attack

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.

Where does attack come from?

The first records of the term attack come from around the 1590s. It comes from the Italian verb attaccare, meaning “to attack” or “to attach.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to attack?

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

What are some synonyms for attack?

• assault
• hit
• strike
• abuse
• criticize
• besiege

What are some words that share a root or word element with attack? 

• attack dog
• attack ad
• panic attack
• anxiety attack

What are some words that often get used in discussing attack?

• physical
• verbal
• violence
• damage
• war
• military
• asthma
• animal

How is attack used in real life?

Attack is a very common word that most often means to physically or verbally assault someone.

You guys, I got attacked by a dog yesterday. 😒🐶

— liz bizkit (@mylifeasliz_liz) June 30, 2012

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has attacked the British government during a rare television interview

— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) March 2, 2013

According to jihadi sources, protesters have attacked the British and German embassies in Khartoum, Sudan, hoisting an Al-Qaida banner.

— Evan Kohlmann (@IntelTweet) September 14, 2012

Try using attack!

Is attack used correctly in the following sentence?

I attacked the fence with a sledgehammer until it was a pile of broken wood.