Synonyms of attacking

attacking

verb

present participle of attack

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

• assaulting
• raiding
• storming
• striking
• robbing
• charging
• ambushing
• swarming
• invading
• assailing
• rushing
• trashing
• siccing
• turning (on)
• descending (on or upon)
• besetting
• flying at
• jumping (on)
• going in (on)
• setting on
• bushwhacking
• setting at
• tearing into
• flanking
• setting upon
• pouncing (on or upon)
• besieging
• going at
• pitching into
• sacking
• bombing
• beating up on
• surprising
• bombarding
• mobbing
• ravaging
• rounding on
• plundering
• blitzing
• waylaying
• mugging
• nuking
• lighting into
• battering
• looting
• barraging
• cannoning
• pillaging
• ganging up (on)
• bum-rushing
• harrying
• buffeting
• overrunning
• beleaguering
• cannonading
• ambuscading
• enveloping
• pressing
• banging away (at)
• plastering
• foraying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• protecting
• defending
• covering
• securing
• guarding
• shielding

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

• slamming
• scolding
• abusing
• criticizing
• blasting
• assailing
• insulting
• savaging
• excoriating
• bashing
• harassing
• castigating
• cursing
• scathing
• trashing
• lambasting
• jumping (on)
• tying into
• vituperating
• berating
• sailing into
• belaboring
• potshotting
• harrying
• reviling
• reprimanding
• haranguing
• blaspheming
• slandering
• vilifying
• belittling
• beating up on
• disparaging
• affronting
• whipping
• lighting into
• libeling
• execrating
• chastising
• chiding
• profaning
• slurring
• rebuking
• traducing
• fulminating
• imprecating
• bad-mouthing
• blackguarding
• lacing (into)
• aspersing
• lashing (out)
• putting down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• praising
• commending
• complimenting
• hailing
• lauding
• acclaiming

3

as in tackling

to start work on energetically

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tackling
• approaching
• addressing
• undertaking
• pursuing
• diving (into)
• having at
• wading (in or into)
• going at
• facing
• tearing into
• sailing into
• pitching into
• falling (to)
• focusing (on)
• settling (down)
• concentrating (on)
• buckling (down to)
• lighting into
• plunging (in)
• pitching in
• knuckling down (to)
• zeroing (in on)
• taking up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoiding
• evading
• shunning
• playing
• messing
• poking
• fooling
• lagging
• idling
• trifling
• dawdling
• fiddling (around)
• puttering (around)
• dallying
• pottering (around)
• monkeying (around)
• dillydallying

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of attacking

So too are there similarities to the Brentford side that came up under Thomas Frank, given their set-piece credentials and attacking variety. — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Fishback has been aggressively attacking Donalds over his politics and his race while holding rallies across the state drawing crowds of young men motivated by his hard-right campaign promises. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026

Trump has continued attacking Carroll despite the eight-figure penalties against him, and Carroll’s attorneys have not ruled out bringing further litigation. — Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

On November 5, 1556, Hemu’s army advanced with elephants, attacking the right and left wings of the Mughal army. — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026

The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah violated the ceasefire by attacking Israeli soldiers inside Lebanon, seriously wounding three. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026

Larry Montes, 46, the suspect accused of attacking two people inside Central Synagogue, made his first appearance before a judge late Saturday night. — Allen Devlin, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026

Analysts say this creates a layered defensive network capable of attacking naval forces from different directions and at varying distances. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026

But instead of settling for a deflating draw, Boise flipped the switch, starting attacking again and emerged with all three points. — Idaho Statesman, 9 Aug. 2026