attack

noun

plural attacks

1

: the act of attacking with physical force or unfriendly words : assault

the victim of a knife attack

a verbal attack

2

: a belligerent or antagonistic action

launched an attack against his political opponents

3

a

: a fit of sickness

especially : an active episode of a chronic or recurrent disease

an attack of bronchitis

b

: a period of being strongly affected by something (such as a desire or mood)

an attack of the jitters

c

: an aggressive attempt to take or extend a lead over others in a race (such as a bicycle race)

… he crushed his rivals in the first mountain stages by going on relatively long solo attacks.

—Samuel Abt

4

a

: an offensive or scoring action

won the game with an 8-hit attack

b

: offensive players or the positions taken up by them

5

: the setting to work on some undertaking

made a new attack on the problem

a new plan of attack

6

: the beginning of destructive action (as by a chemical agent)

7

music : the act or manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase

see also:

on the attack under attack

Synonyms of attack

• assault
• raid
• offensive
• onslaught
• offense
• strike
• aggression
• attempt

Examples of attack in a Sentence

The immune system is the body's defense against attack by germs.

The spray protects plants from attacks by many common pests.

The surprise attack came at dawn.

There is a threat of nuclear attack.

There have been many attacks against the professor for her position on the issue.

The newspaper editorial is an attack on policy-makers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Madonna hunts pheasant in the English countryside, Thomas Edison electrocutes an elephant, Harry Harlow conducts callous experiments on monkeys, and Jimmy Carter fends off a swamp rabbit attack. —Literary Hub, 9 June 2026

Hezbollah has also continued its attacks. —Parisa Hafezi, USA Today, 9 June 2026

The legal troubles that shadowed Paxton in public office in Texas are a central attack line of Talarico’s campaign, though in his endorsement, Cogdell didn’t cite concerns about his client’s past. —Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026

One Japanese city is taking no chances after a series of bear sightings this week, closing nearly 100 schools as officials scour the town, and as attacks take place elsewhere in the country. —Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 9 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing attack

• angle of attack
• anxiety attack
• attack dog
• banzai attack
• brain attack
• come under attack
• counter-attack
• go on the attack
• heart attack
• in attack
• nearly gave someone a heart attack
• on the attack
• panic attack
• plan of attack
• to come under attack
• transient ischemic attack
• under attack

Rhymes for attack

• aback
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback
• dieback

Kids Definition

attack

1 of 2 verb

at·​tack ə-ˈtak 

1

: to take strong action against

the dog attacked a skunk

2

: to use unfriendly or bitter words against

3

: to begin to cause something harmful or destructive to happen to

attacked by fever

4

: to start work on

attack a problem

attacker noun

attack

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act or action of attacking : assault

2

: a beginning of work on something (as a problem or project)

3

: a spell of sickness

especially : one of a disease that is long-lasting or that tends to occur over and over again

Medical Definition

attack

1 of 2 transitive verb

at·​tack ə-ˈtak 

: to begin to affect or to act on injuriously

tumors attacked the kidneys

attacked by a fever

attack

2 of 2 noun

: a fit of sickness

especially : an active episode of a chronic or recurrent disease

Legal Definition

attack

noun

at·​tack

: an attempt to prove something invalid or incorrect especially through judicial procedures

made an attack on the will as not properly witnessed

specifically : an attempt to have the judgment of a court corrected or overruled

— collateral attack

: an attack on a judgment made during or by a proceeding brought for a different purpose see also habeas corpus ad subjiciendum at habeas corpus

— direct attack

: an attack on a judgment made in a proceeding (as an appeal) brought for the specific purpose of having the judgment corrected or overturned

attack verb