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

New arrival Maghnes Akliouche adds another attacking option this summer, while the signing of Lucas Digne from Villa gives this particular fixture an early subplot, with the full-back facing his old club straight out of the gate. — Dean Jones, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Three men are charged with attacking a CBS News Chicago crew near the Adler Planetarium at the end of June, before pointing a gun at people in the city's Brighton Park neighborhood before they were arrested. — Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 10 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

Shapiro and Owens have traded increasingly nasty barbs in recent months, with Shapiro attacking Owens over the conspiracy theories she’s promoted about Charlie Kirk’s assassination and Owens likewise punching back. — Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 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

The message suggests Trump is attacking the Muslim Democrat for his political and religious beliefs. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 Aug. 2026

The attacking midfielder made his pro debut with the Tijuana Xolos two Augusts ago at 15 years, 10 months old. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026

Both Kyiv and Moscow routinely describe their targets as military, energy or industrial sites and both accuse the other of intentionally attacking civilian targets. — David Brennan, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026