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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of attacking
His pace routinely bothered Sweden, including on one impressive solo run in the first half that produced a quality attacking scenario.
—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2026
The video then shows the woman throwing Martinez to the ground, grabbing her by the hair and repeatedly attacking her as bystanders try to step in and help.
—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
The team took up residence in the attacking third for a quite some time ahead and kept the press going even after Germany's attempts to clear.
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
The 19-year-old woman accused of attacking a street vendor in downtown LA was arrested on Thursday.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
The attacking midfielder suffered a kick in his calf a few days before the opening match against Paraguay and played through the opening 45 minutes of the tournament, not feeling much pain thanks to adrenaline.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
Consequently, scavs are now more dangerous, ignoring Fence's orders, attacking all players, and wielding better gear like revolvers.
—
Mike Stubbs,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
That England avoided what would have been an embarrassing last-sixteen exit to Slovakia was thanks mostly to the individual brilliance of Jude Bellingham, its attacking prodigy, who scissored in an acrobatic finish at the death.
—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
Can South Korea's resilience overcome Mexico's attacking efficiency?
—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
18 June 2026
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2026
The video then shows the woman throwing Martinez to the ground, grabbing her by the hair and repeatedly attacking her as bystanders try to step in and help.
—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
The team took up residence in the attacking third for a quite some time ahead and kept the press going even after Germany's attempts to clear.
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
The 19-year-old woman accused of attacking a street vendor in downtown LA was arrested on Thursday.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
The attacking midfielder suffered a kick in his calf a few days before the opening match against Paraguay and played through the opening 45 minutes of the tournament, not feeling much pain thanks to adrenaline.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
Consequently, scavs are now more dangerous, ignoring Fence's orders, attacking all players, and wielding better gear like revolvers.
—
Mike Stubbs,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
That England avoided what would have been an embarrassing last-sixteen exit to Slovakia was thanks mostly to the individual brilliance of Jude Bellingham, its attacking prodigy, who scissored in an acrobatic finish at the death.
—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
Can South Korea's resilience overcome Mexico's attacking efficiency?
—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attacking
Verb
-
In 2017 and 2018, Werhan was arrested on separate occasions in Pittsfield, Massachusetts for allegedly assaulting his father and girlfriend, according to the warrant affidavit.
-
Weinstein was originally convicted of assaulting both Mann and Haley in 2020, but that verdict was overturned on a 4-3 vote by the state’s highest court in 2024.
Verb
-
The video shows the panicked deer backing itself into a corner, slamming itself against the building and retaining wall.
-
Diplo has taken a similarly direct approach — by slamming artists who oppose using the technology.
Verb
-
Zapata also suggests tackling more difficult projects with steel wool.
-
In true old-school thumper fashion, the 250 Dual looks perfectly happy climbing hills, crossing rivers, and tackling technical trails.
Verb
-
Want to stop raiding the fridge every night before bed?
-
While our dreams of raiding Tay Tay’s closet will likely never come true, that won’t stop of from borrowing her style and shopping Swift’s favorite designer brands.
Verb
-
This ancient poem isn’t interested in scolding women for their sexuality, but in the establishment of honor in the elite household.
-
The princess hilariously put her little brother in his place by scolding him.
Verb
-
Democrats offered the legislation, which failed on a party-line vote, ahead of a fast-approaching July 1 deadline, when the borrowing limits will take effect for Americans nationwide.
-
With America’s 250th anniversary approaching, Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha said Democrats are busy sulking while the country prepares to celebrate the nation’s history and achievements.
Verb
-
Speedy Jonah Cox replaced Devers, who tried to shoo him away before relenting and storming through the dugout.
-
But to compare them with Thomas Jefferson or American soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy is absurd and more than a little insulting.
Verb
-
America’s youth have been increasingly abusing common over-the-counter medications, according to poison center records.
-
Uber’s campaign accused trial attorneys of unethically abusing their clients and attorneys said the company is attempting restructure longstanding civil justice laws to escape accountability for harm caused by its drivers.
Cite this Entry
“Attacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attacking. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
