attack

¹at·tack

verb \ə-ˈtak\

Definition of ATTACK

transitive verb

1

: to set upon or work against forcefully

2

: to assail with unfriendly or bitter words

3

: to begin to affect or to act on injuriously <plants attacked by aphids>

4

: to set to work on <attack a problem>

5

: to threaten (a piece in chess) with immediate capture

intransitive verb

: to make an attack

— at·tack·er noun

Examples of ATTACK

1. He attacked the guard with a knife.
2. Troops attacked the fortress at dawn.
3. The troops attacked at dawn.
4. People are attacking the mayor for breaking campaign promises.
5. The professor has been widely attacked for her position on the issue.
6. Did you see the way the kids attacked that pizza?

Origin of ATTACK

Middle French attaquer, from Old Italian *estaccare to attach, from stacca stake, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English staca

First Known Use: 1562

Related to ATTACK

Synonyms: assail, assault, beset, bushwhack, charge, descend (on or upon), go in (on), jump (on), pounce (on or upon), raid, rush, set on, sic (also sick), storm, strike, trash, turn (on), beat up on, fly at, go at, light into, pitch into, round on, set at, set upon, tear into, beat up on, light into, sail into, tie into, go at, have at, light into, pitch into, sail into, tear into

Related Words: bum-rush, gang up (on), mob, swarm; mug, rob; ambuscade, ambush, surprise (also surprize), waylay; blitz, bomb, bombard, nuke; barrage, cannon, cannonade; bang away (at), batter, buffet, plaster; beleaguer, besiege, press; harry, loot, pillage, plunder, ravage, sack; foray, invade, overrun; envelop, flank

Near Antonyms: cover, defend, guard, protect, secure, shield

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Synonym Discussion of ATTACK

attack, assail, assault, bombard, storm mean to make an onslaught upon. attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle <plan to attack the town at dawn>. assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots <assailed the enemy with artillery fire>. assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught <commandos assaulted the building from all sides>. bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells <bombarded the city nightly>. storm implies attempting to break into a defended position <preparing to storm the fortress>.

Rhymes with ATTACK

aback, ack-ack, alack, amtrac, Anzac, arrack, backpack, backtrack, Balzac, bareback, blackjack, blowback, bootblack, bootjack, brushback, bushwhack, buyback, callback, calpac, carjack, champac, cheapjack, coatrack, come back, comeback, cookshack, crackback, crookback, cut back, cutback, Dayak, dieback, Dirac, draw back, drawback, fall back, fallback, fastback, fast-track, fatback, feedback, finback, fireback, flapjack, flashback, fullback, gimcrack, giveback, graywacke, greenback, gripsack, guaiac, halfback, half-track, hardback, hardhack, hardtack, hatchback, hayrack, haystack, hijack, hogback, hold back, holdback, hopsack, horseback, humpback, hunchback, Iraq, jam-pack, jet-black, Kanak, Karnak, kayak, Kazak, kickback, knapsack, knickknack, kulak, kyack, laid-back, lampblack, leaseback, linac, macaque, man jack, manpack, Micmac, mossback, muntjac, Muzak, notchback, offtrack, one-track, outback, packsack, payback, pitch-black, play back, playback, plow back, plowback, Prozac, pullback, quillback, racetrack, ransack, rickrack, roll back, rollback, roorback, rucksack, runback, sad sack, scatback, serac, set back, setback, shellac, shellback, shoeblack, shoepac, sidetrack, six-pack, skewback, skipjack, skyjack, slapjack, slotback, Slovak, smokejack, smokestack, snap back, snapback, snowpack, softback, sumac, swayback, sweepback, swept-back, switchback, tailback, tarmac, thornback, throw back, throwback, thumbtack, ticktack, tieback, tie tack, tombac, touchback, tow sack, trictrac, tripack, unpack, wetback, whaleback, wingback, wisecrack, wolf pack, woolpack, woolsack, yashmak, zwieback