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
Relevance
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
But its small naval boats with crews of two to six people are attacking cargo ships and tankers near the Strait of Hormuz with apparent impunity.
—
Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Adon Abel pleaded guilty in October 2024 to assaulting two police officers with a deadly weapon and attacking another person when he was stationed in Coronado, near San Diego, according to California court records.
—John Hanna, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Often transnational agreements are necessary if pipelines pass through several territories and security — something in short supply when Iran has shown no compunction in attacking neighbors’ energy facilities.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Iran has retaliated by using missiles and drones to strike US military bases and Israel, along with attacking the energy infrastructure and airports of various Gulf countries.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 22 Apr. 2026
Gbollie was charged with misdemeanors last year for allegedly attacking the permit inspector, damaging his car, and blocking the vehicle in during a dispute about Gbollie’s unlicensed food stand on the 1700 block of Broadway, court records show.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
Craig had good moments attacking the middle of the field in the intermediate passing game, but there were stilll times where his accuracy waned during 7-on-7 and other drills.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
Jared Bednar fostered offensive excellence with this group with an aggressive, attacking mindset, backed by game-breaking talent and quality depth players.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 22 Apr. 2026
Every England attacking player, apart from Kane, has questions surrounding them.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Adon Abel pleaded guilty in October 2024 to assaulting two police officers with a deadly weapon and attacking another person when he was stationed in Coronado, near San Diego, according to California court records.
—John Hanna, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Often transnational agreements are necessary if pipelines pass through several territories and security — something in short supply when Iran has shown no compunction in attacking neighbors’ energy facilities.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Iran has retaliated by using missiles and drones to strike US military bases and Israel, along with attacking the energy infrastructure and airports of various Gulf countries.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 22 Apr. 2026
Gbollie was charged with misdemeanors last year for allegedly attacking the permit inspector, damaging his car, and blocking the vehicle in during a dispute about Gbollie’s unlicensed food stand on the 1700 block of Broadway, court records show.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
Craig had good moments attacking the middle of the field in the intermediate passing game, but there were stilll times where his accuracy waned during 7-on-7 and other drills.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
Jared Bednar fostered offensive excellence with this group with an aggressive, attacking mindset, backed by game-breaking talent and quality depth players.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 22 Apr. 2026
Every England attacking player, apart from Kane, has questions surrounding them.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attacking
Verb
-
Adon Abel pleaded guilty in October 2024 to assaulting two police officers with a deadly weapon and attacking another person when he was stationed in Coronado, near San Diego, according to California court records.—
John Hanna,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Aubrey police previously arrested Miller on March 18 after he was accused of assaulting the same woman at the home on Thoroughbred Drive.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Video emerged online showing a red Ferrari shooting out of a tunnel along the highway at a high speed, slamming into a concrete barrier where the road curved and erupting into flames.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Hamadeh, who won his seat in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District in 2024, also spent time in his speech slamming top Democrats with insults.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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To combat that and shift things in the other direction, the Hornets intend on tackling the problem in various ways over the summer.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Apr. 2026
-
These researchers, tackling the nitty-gritty of civilization, focused on Bulgaria as parasite analysis from this region had never been published.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Stories are going viral about passengers raiding complimentary buffets in lounges, and children wreaking havoc while distracted parents are unfazed.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
-
But Dead City fans have responded to cops raiding a concert by setting fires and ransacking a Metro train full of workers trying to get home.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 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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With the midterms approaching, certain primaries have reflected broader debates about whether the Party might consider cursing more, capitalizing tweets, going Dark Woke.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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If prediction markets are any indication, Democrats are heavy favorites to take the House in November, with a likelihood approaching 85%.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Video podcasters are storming streaming platforms.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
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The Portland Trail Blazers are back in the playoffs for the first time in half a decade after storming into Phoenix to defeat the Suns in a thrilling NBA Play-In Tournament showdown.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Federal Trade Commission, 18 states and Puerto Rico have accused the company of abusing its market position to inflate prices on other online retail platforms, overcharge sellers and stifle competition.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The foster parents and their adult daughter pleaded guilty to abusing children in their care.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attacking. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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