1
as in assaulting
to take sudden, violent action against
our dog unexpectedly attacked the mailman, sinking his teeth into the startled man's leg
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slamming
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tackling
to start work on energetically
Courtney attacked the huge mess in her room with determination and enthusiasm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attacking
Both sides accuse the other of intentionally attacking civilian targets.
—
David Brennan, ABC News, 14 May 2026
So when attacking midfielder Nick Moon carried the ball down the left wing in the eighth minute, AC Boise bodies began rushing into the box.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 14 May 2026
The domino effect of playing Rice out of position and bringing on Martin Zubimendi left Arsenal’s right side vulnerable and impacted their attacking balance.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Early attacking, getting ahead, filling it up.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2026
Howard was relentless, attacking the basket even when her outside shot wasn't falling, finishing 1-of-9 from three-point range but refusing to let the cold shooting night derail her impact on the game.
—Christopher Harris, CBS News, 13 May 2026
Appeals Court affirms life sentence On Tuesday, the state Appeals Court affirmed the convictions of a man found guilty of attacking a Brockton woman in her home in 2013, the Plymouth DA announced.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 13 May 2026
Fitz also has some stiff competition in the attacking midfield.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
At times, the Golden Knights have been forced to navigate their way through the neutral zone and into the attacking zone through a forest of sticks.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
David Brennan, ABC News, 14 May 2026
So when attacking midfielder Nick Moon carried the ball down the left wing in the eighth minute, AC Boise bodies began rushing into the box.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 14 May 2026
The domino effect of playing Rice out of position and bringing on Martin Zubimendi left Arsenal’s right side vulnerable and impacted their attacking balance.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Early attacking, getting ahead, filling it up.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2026
Howard was relentless, attacking the basket even when her outside shot wasn't falling, finishing 1-of-9 from three-point range but refusing to let the cold shooting night derail her impact on the game.
—Christopher Harris, CBS News, 13 May 2026
Appeals Court affirms life sentence On Tuesday, the state Appeals Court affirmed the convictions of a man found guilty of attacking a Brockton woman in her home in 2013, the Plymouth DA announced.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 13 May 2026
Fitz also has some stiff competition in the attacking midfield.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
At times, the Golden Knights have been forced to navigate their way through the neutral zone and into the attacking zone through a forest of sticks.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attacking
Verb
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They are accused of using several ruses to force their way into people’s homes, assaulting unsuspecting residents and holding them hostage for their own money, and demanding access to their crypto accounts.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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Cole Allen, who was shackled and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, pleaded not guilty to attempting to assassinate the president of the United States, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, transporting a firearm across state lines and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Jake Gibson,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Adam Carolla Adam Carolla has thrown his full support behind Pratt, repeatedly praising the former reality star and slamming his opponents.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
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After that news conference, Senate Republicans held their own press briefing, slamming the proposals.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Ahead, Katie Sullivan, the director of issue communications at the American Cleaning Institute, shares the best way to remove sticky, greasy residue from pot lids, at-home solutions for tackling even the most stubborn residue, and the one mistake to avoid that can make cleanup more difficult.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
9 May 2026
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Let’s start by tackling those two concerns.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Even as their work was winding down this session, federal agents looking for evidence of fraud were raiding autism and daycare centers in the state.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
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Who knew that raiding the fridge and pantry could taste like a million bucks.—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
Verb
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First, as the Florida ACLU’s Howard Simon points out, Uthmeier is not scolding another branch of government.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2026
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Security guard Pascal Duvier, most recently infamous for allegedly scolding 11-year-old Ada Law at a hotel in São Paulo, is clearing the air.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Additionally, California has the highest median rent in the nation, with asking rents approaching $2,900 statewide, according to Zillow data.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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With the season’s first Subway Series rapidly approaching, the Yankees’ offense hasn’t exactly been chugging along.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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He is accused of storming a security checkpoint at the dinner last month, leading to multiple shots being fired before he was apprehended.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
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According to forecasters at the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, geomagnetic conditions are expected to hover between quiet and active levels as the effects of earlier coronal mass ejections slowly fade, with isolated G1-class storming still possible.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
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There have been several cases of clergy abusing children in Sri Lanka, but the latest arrest involves the most senior monk to be accused of such a crime.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
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According to the frenetic video, this means abusing the office photocopier and covering yourself in Post-its.—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attacking. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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