Synonyms of attacked

attacked

verb

past tense of attack

1

as in assaulted

to take sudden, violent action against

our dog unexpectedly attacked the mailman, sinking his teeth into the startled man's leg

Synonyms & Similar Words

• assaulted
• raided
• stormed
• struck
• ambushed
• robbed
• charged
• swarmed
• invaded
• assailed
• rushed
• set at
• turned (on)
• descended (on or upon)
• set on
• bushwhacked
• beset
• jumped (on)
• trashed
• set upon
• went in (on)
• flew at
• rounded on
• surprised
• pounced (on or upon)
• sicced
• went at
• bombed
• flanked
• pitched into
• besieged
• sacked
• tore into
• mobbed
• lit into
• waylaid
• bombarded
• mugged
• beat up on
• blitzed
• plundered
• ravaged
• battered
• looted
• nuked
• buffeted
• ganged up (on)
• barraged
• pillaged
• bum-rushed
• beleaguered
• ambuscaded
• plastered
• cannonaded
• overran
• enveloped
• pressed
• harried
• cannoned
• banged away (at)
• forayed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• protected
• covered
• secured
• defended
• guarded
• shielded

2

as in slammed

to criticize harshly and usually publicly

the mayor and all his aides were attacked mercilessly in the press when the scandal erupted

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slammed
• scolded
• abused
• criticized
• blasted
• assailed
• insulted
• savaged
• harassed
• excoriated
• bashed
• cursed
• jumped (on)
• lambasted
• castigated
• trashed
• scathed
• tied into
• vituperated
• berated
• sailed into
• reprimanded
• belabored
• reviled
• lit into
• harangued
• potshot
• affronted
• blasphemed
• beat up on
• disparaged
• slandered
• whipped
• harried
• vilified
• belittled
• libeled
• execrated
• chastised
• profaned
• rebuked
• slurred
• traduced
• aspersed
• imprecated
• fulminated
• laced (into)
• lashed (out)
• bad-mouthed
• blackguarded
• chid
• put down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• praised
• commended
• hailed
• acclaimed
• complimented
• lauded

3

as in tackled

to start work on energetically

Courtney attacked the huge mess in her room with determination and enthusiasm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tackled
• approached
• undertook
• addressed
• had at
• pursued
• waded (in or into)
• dived (into)
• went at
• sailed into
• tore into
• faced
• pitched into
• focused (on)
• fell (to)
• settled (down)
• concentrated (on)
• lit into
• plunged (in)
• buckled (down to)
• pitched in
• zeroed (in on)
• knuckled down (to)
• took up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoided
• evaded
• shunned
• played
• poked
• fooled
• lagged
• messed
• idled
• trifled
• dawdled
• fiddled (around)
• dallied
• puttered (around)
• pottered (around)
• dillydallied
• monkeyed (around)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of attacked

The men were returning to camp when their white armored Toyota Land Cruiser was attacked by members of the two Haitian gangs. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026

After Israel accepted its meager portion, Arabs attacked and retained a significant part of the land that was to be divided between Jews and Arabs. — Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026

Last week, dozens of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villagers who were trying to pick olives. — Liam Scott, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Heidi Levine, the Washington Post journalist brutally attacked by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank last week, said the terrifying ordeal has only strengthened her resolve to continue covering the plight of Palestinians. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

There has been a recent surge in Israeli settler violence and military activity in the West Bank centered on the start of the olive harvesting season, with Palestinians, activists and American journalists among those attacked and detained. — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026

Ukraine has attacked several Russian oil refineries and fuel depots, slashing Russia’s diesel exports by 75%, according to CNBC. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026

Husted wants large data centers to shoulder more grid costs; Brown has attacked industry tax breaks and pledged to make data centers pay their full electricity costs. — Luke Fountain,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026

At a meeting earlier this year, top foreign ministry officials from several European countries were asked who among them still believed that the United States would come to their defense if they were attacked. — Ivo H. Daalder, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026