attack 1 of 2

attack

2 of 2

verb

1
2
3

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb attack contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of attack are assail, assault, bombard, and storm. While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle.

plan to attack the town at dawn

When could assail be used to replace attack?

The words assail and attack are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots.

assailed the enemy with artillery fire

When might assault be a better fit than attack?

Although the words assault and attack have much in common, assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught.

commandos assaulted the building from all sides

When would bombard be a good substitute for attack?

The synonyms bombard and attack are sometimes interchangeable, but bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells.

bombarded the city nightly

When can storm be used instead of attack?

While the synonyms storm and attack are close in meaning, storm implies attempting to break into a defended position.

preparing to storm the fortress

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of attack
Noun
The allegedly unprovoked attack caused permanent injuries, according to the lawsuit. Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025 At right-back, there is still no established first-choice, but Matheus Nunes is quicker and has more ability to join the attack than Rico Lewis, which was the direction the team were moving in towards the end of last season. James McNicholas, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
Slot’s side were an attacking juggernaut last season, scoring 86 goals during the Premier League campaign — 14 more than anybody else. Andy Jones, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025 Investigators believe that Clinton was attacked first, while Cristen brought the kids to safety. Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for attack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attack
Noun
  • Since then, his administration has ramped up immigration raids on businesses, threatened widespread deportation, and canceled temporary legal status for more than a million people living in the United States.
    Alexander Kustov, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2025
  • In another instance, troops that went with a federal agency conducting a raid at a cannabis farm in Riverside County formed a security perimeter that prevented people from leaving.
    Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Worst of all, thanks to sporadic bouts of spot alopecia, too many squeezes of a lash curler and irritating makeup removal can spark a lash shed for me.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2025
  • Charles Darwin, himself a sufferer, recorded in the journals documenting his time aboard H.M.S. Beagle a folk custom that had been shared with him during a bad bout in Argentina.
    Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The passenger did not physically assault anyone on the aircraft, and no injuries were reported, according to police.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The reigning 100-meter world champion sprinter also issued an apology to her boyfriend after allegedly assaulting him in a Seattle airport.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • According to the outlets, police alleged in the documents that the couple repeatedly slammed the girl's fingers in a door frame, crushing her hand and causing her fingernails to separate from her hand.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • In 2021, Rodrigues had slammed another woman’s head, his girlfriend at the time, against a door — causing blood to come from her ears, court records show.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Trump clapping as Putin approached, with a grin on his face.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Palace are working on possible replacements for Eze, who played the full 90 minutes in last week’s Community Shield match against Liverpool, and have approached Leicester City to explore a potential move for Bilal El Khannouss.
    David Ornstein, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • While other governments rushed to make concessions in the face of Trump’s tariff onslaught, India has remained defiant.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2025
  • Just like Weapons, this simple premise gives way to an onslaught of horrific twists.
    EW.com, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The majority notes that, in a strange parallel, one of the motivations behind including the Takings Clause in the Bill of Rights was the seizure of horses.
    Andrew Wimer, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Of those incidents, 25 resulted in the seizure of a weapon and 228 in the seizure of drugs or alcohol.
    Elyse Apel, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Both women complained profusely to me about it before storming out.
    Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The Dolphins sideline erupted, with may offensive teammates storming the corner of the field to celebrate with Eskridge, including wide receivers coach Robert Prince, exuberant for one of his players.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attack. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on attack

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!