Synonyms and Antonyms of attacked
1
to take sudden, violent action against
- our dog unexpectedly attacked the mailman, sinking his teeth into the startled man's leg
assailed, assaulted, beset, bushwhacked, charged, descended (on or upon), jumped (on), pounced (on or upon), raided, rushed, set on, sicced (also sicked), stormed, struck, trashed, turned (on), went in (on)
bum-rushed, ganged up (on), mobbed, swarmed
mugged, robbed
ambuscaded, ambushed, surprised (also surprized), waylaid
blitzed, bombarded, bombed, nuked
barraged, cannonaded, cannoned
banged away (at), battered, buffeted, plastered
beleaguered, besieged, pressed
harried, looted, pillaged, plundered, ravaged, sacked
forayed, invaded, overran
enveloped, flanked
2
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
- the mayor and all his aides were attacked mercilessly in the press when the scandal erupted
abused, assailed, bashed, belabored, blasted, castigated, excoriated, jumped (on), lambasted, potshot, savaged, scathed, slammed, trashed, vituperated
berated, harangued, harassed, harried, reviled, scolded, whipped
blasphemed, cursed, execrated, imprecated, profaned
affronted, insulted, slurred
aspersed, bad-mouthed, belittled, blackguarded, disparaged, put down
libeled (or libelled), slandered, traduced, vilified
chastised, chid (or chided), criticized, laced (into), rebuked, reprimanded
fulminated, lashed (out)
3
to start work on energetically
- Courtney attacked the huge mess in her room with determination and enthusiasm
addressed, approached, faced
buckled (down to), concentrated (on), focused (on) (also focussed (on)), knuckled down (to), zeroed (in on)
fell (to), pitched in, plunged (in), settled (down)
pursued, took up, undertook
avoided, evaded, shunned
dallied, dawdled, dillydallied, fiddled (around), fooled, idled, lagged, messed, monkeyed (around), played, poked, pottered (around), puttered (around), trifled
