1
as in raid
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
The USS Constitution was nicknamed "Old Ironsides" after its oaken hull successfully withstood a British attack
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bout
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder
malaria is characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to assault
to take sudden, violent action against
our dog unexpectedly attacked the mailman, sinking his teeth into the startled man's leg
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2
as in to slam
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
the mayor and all his aides were attacked mercilessly in the press when the scandal erupted
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3
as in to approach
to start work on energetically
Courtney attacked the huge mess in her room with determination and enthusiasm
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attack
Sam McNeil, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
The political motivations behind these attacks are still unclear, but one study says that violence from the left has been the greater threat so far this year.
—October 22, NPR, 22 Oct. 2025
Paul Egan, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The man tried to escape, but the group followed him, knocked him to the ground and continued attacking him before robbing him of his watch and shoes, prosecutors said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attack
Noun
Houthi attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea have also slashed Suez Canal revenues, which is a major source for foreign currency, by forcing traffic away from the canal and around the tip of Africa.
—Sam McNeil, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
The political motivations behind these attacks are still unclear, but one study says that violence from the left has been the greater threat so far this year.
—October 22, NPR, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
One week later, the inmate attacked him in the middle of the night and beat him with a padlock attached to a belt, leaving him with a gash to the head and other injuries, according to the lawsuit.
—Paul Egan, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The man tried to escape, but the group followed him, knocked him to the ground and continued attacking him before robbing him of his watch and shoes, prosecutors said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attack
Noun
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Chicago has emerged as a focal point in the national debate, with the city's leadership vocally opposing federal immigration crackdowns and raids.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
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An attempt to set fire to the truck used to carry out the raid was foiled by a Louvre security officer, forcing the burglar to flee, according to the culture ministry’s statement.—
Martin Goillandeau,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This bout features four women who have made significant names for themselves across various promotions.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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On the sports front, Sarandos said Netflix remained focused on big live events, which includes the recent live super middleweight championship bout between Terence Crawford and Canelo Álvarez that attracted over 41 million viewers.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Routh, 59, was charged on five federal criminal counts, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms offenses.—
Anders Hagstrom , Lucas Y. Tomlinson,
FOXNews.com,
19 Oct. 2025
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The nonviolent protest at the Common on Saturday took place after last week’s pro-Palestinian rally in which protesters assaulted Boston Police officers, one of whom suffered a broken nose that required reconstructive surgery.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Once the truck begins driving straight, the beige SUV speeds up and slams into the truck’s back-left side.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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Back in 1961, residents of Capitola woke up to find that hordes of black seabirds were slamming into cars, windows and people's homes and dying.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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So one day last winter, as a new MLS season began, Higginbotham’s wife, Nicole, approached him with an idea.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Upcoming comets to view This celestial calendar includes significant comets that will approach Earth through the rest of 2025 and into early 2026 and can be seen with binoculars or a telescope.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The play was blown up, coming nowhere close to first down yardage, and the onslaught began.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Oct. 2025
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For years local and federal investigators were stumped by who had sent the letters and were unable to prevent the onslaught of threats for more than a decade.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Cipher at one point recounts Andre’s seizures in Elmira, but later, Doug reveals how Andre persisted inside that prison.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Oct. 2025
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Then, at 38 weeks in late September, Wootten had back-to-back seizures.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The bridge swayed ever so slightly as the mass of runners began to storm across.—
Nicholas Thompson,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
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Fans stormed the field for the first time since USC.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attack. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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