attack

[ uh-tak ]

/ əˈtæk /

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verb (used with object)

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.

to begin hostilities against; start an offensive against: to attack the enemy.

to blame or abuse violently or bitterly.

to direct unfavorable criticism against; criticize severely; argue with strongly: He attacked his opponent's statement.

to try to destroy, especially with verbal abuse: to attack the mayor's reputation.

to set about (a task) or go to work on (a thing) vigorously: to attack housecleaning; to attack the hamburger hungrily.

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

verb (used without object)

to make an attack; begin hostilities.

noun

the act of attacking; onslaught; assault.

a military offensive against an enemy or enemy position.

Pathology. seizure by disease or illness: an attack of indigestion.

the beginning or initiating of any action; onset.

an aggressive move in a performance or contest.

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

RELATED WORDS

bombed, bombarded

Nearby words

Origin of attack

1590–1600; earlier atta(c)que < Middle French atta(c)quer < Italian attaccare to attack, attach

SYNONYMS FOR attack

1 storm, charge.

4 censure; impugn, oppugn, abuse.

9 onset, encounter.

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ANTONYMS FOR attack

1, 4 defend.

9 defense.

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Related forms

at·tack·a·ble, adjectiveat·tack·er, nounnon·at·tack·ing, adjectivepost·at·tack, adjective

pro·at·tack, adjectivere·at·tack, verbun·at·tack·a·ble, adjectiveun·at·tacked, adjective

Synonym study

1. 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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for attacked

Several Muslim sites in France, including mosques have been attacked or vandalized since the Charlie Hebdo massacre.
Europe’s Islam Haters Say We Told You So|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The same night the “dead cops” chant was recorded, two police officers were attacked on the Brooklyn Bridge.
The Monsters Who Screamed for Dead Cops|Jacob Siegel|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Ordinarily, you see punch-counterpunch-punch,” as the attacked party tries to fend off the intruder, the former official said.
Obama Could Hit China to Punish North Korea|Shane Harris, Tim Mak|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The capital of Chechnya, Grozny, was attacked Thursday by insurgents who may have sworn allegiance to ISIS.
Recession? Devaluation? Inflation? Putin Tells Russia Stay the Course.|Anna Nemtsova|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Attacked on Twitter and by outraged columnists for promoting sexism, Taylor issued a tearful public apology.
Feminism Has Gone Too Far|Lizzie Crocker|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His men were surrounded and attacked as soon as they entered the city, and the attacks were kept up from day to day.
Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 8|Charles H. Sylvester
In March, 1918, nine squadrons of his airplanes flew over Paris and attacked the city.
The Romance of Aircraft|Lawrence Yard Smith
They launched out in these into the Bay of Panama, attacked three large armed ships, took two of them, and began cruising in them.
Ocean's Story; or Triumphs of Thirty Centuries|Edward Rowland
When the lungs are attacked, all kinds of mistaken cruelties have been perpetrated.
The Dog|Dinks, Mayhew, and Hutchinson
A Bear, a Fox, and an Opossum were attacked by an inundation.
Fantastic Fables|Ambrose Bierce

British Dictionary definitions for attacked

attack

/ (əˈtæk) /

verb

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

(intr) to take the initiative in a game, sport, etcafter a few minutes, the team began to attack

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

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

(tr) to begin to injure or affect adversely; corrode, corrupt, or infectrust attacked the metal

(tr) to attempt to rape

noun

the act or an instance of attacking

strong criticism or abusean unjustified attack on someone's reputation

an offensive move in a game, sport, etc

commencement of a task, etc

any sudden and usually severe manifestation of a disease or disordera heart attack; an attack of indigestion

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

music decisiveness in beginning a passage, movement, or piece

music the speed with which a note reaches its maximum volume

an attempted rape

Derived Formsattackable, adjectiveattacker, nounattacking, adjective

Word Origin for attack

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for attacked (1 of 2)

attack

c.1600, from French attaquer (16c.), from Florentine Italian attaccare (battaglia) "join (battle)," thus the word is a doublet of attach, which was used 15c.-17c. also in the sense now reserved to attack. Related: Attacked; attacking.

Word Origin and History for attacked (1 of 2)

attack

1660s, from attack (v.). Cf. Middle English attach "a seizure or attack" (of fever), late 14c.

Medicine definitions for attacked

attack

[ ə-tăk′ ]

n.

An episode or onset of a disease, often sudden in nature.

Related formsat•tack′ v.

attack

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of attack

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for attacked

British Dictionary definitions for attacked

attack

verb

noun

Word Origin for attack

Word Origin and History for attacked (1 of 2)

attack

Word Origin and History for attacked (1 of 2)

attack

Medicine definitions for attacked

attack

n.