Synonyms of attacks

attacks 1 of 2

noun

plural of attack

1

as in assaults

the act or action of setting upon with force or violence

The USS Constitution was nicknamed "Old Ironsides" after its oaken hull successfully withstood a British attack

Synonyms & Similar Words

• assaults
• raids
• offensives
• onslaughts
• offenses
• strikes
• aggressions
• attempts
• bombardments
• counterattacks
• rushes
• incursions
• onsets
• blitzes
• invasions
• bombings
• charges
• ambushes
• blitzkriegs
• barrages
• coups de main
• descents
• sieges
• counteroffensives
• ambuscades
• sorties
• counterstrikes
• forays
• sallies
• ravages
• breakthroughs
• air raids
• envelopments
• volleys
• counterassaults
• sacks
• storms
• fusillades
• salvos
• counteraggressions
• cannonades
• pillages
• hails
• whammies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• defenses
• shields
• guards
• resistances
• oppositions
• defensives
• securities
• protections
• shelters

2

as in bouts

a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder

malaria is characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bouts
• seizures
• cases
• spells
• sieges
• accesses
• pangs
• fits
• spasms
• turns
• relapses
• recurrences
• convulsions
• breakdowns
• agitations
• frenzies
• paroxysms
• collapses
• throes
• eclampsias
• brainstorms
• prostrations

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• arrests
• reliefs
• remissions

attacks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of attack

1

as in raids

to take sudden, violent action against

our dog unexpectedly attacked the mailman, sinking his teeth into the startled man's leg

Synonyms & Similar Words

• assaults
• raids
• storms
• strikes
• ambushes
• charges
• robs
• swarms
• turns (on)
• descends (on or upon)
• rushes
• assails
• invades
• jumps (on)
• besets
• sets at
• sets upon
• sets on
• rounds on
• flies at
• goes in (on)
• tears into
• bombs
• pounces (on or upon)
• pitches into
• beats up on
• goes at
• trashes
• bushwhacks
• surprises
• sics
• lights into
• flanks
• mobs
• besieges
• sacks
• ravages
• waylays
• barrages
• blitzes
• nukes
• bombards
• plunders
• gangs up (on)
• cannons
• loots
• batters
• forays
• ambuscades
• buffets
• mugs
• bum-rushes
• pillages
• beleaguers
• cannonades
• harries
• overruns
• plasters
• presses
• envelops
• bangs away (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• protects
• shields
• covers
• defends
• secures
• guards

2

as in slams

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

• slams
• abuses
• insults
• scolds
• blasts
• criticizes
• savages
• assails
• jumps (on)
• curses
• excoriates
• bashes
• ties into
• vituperates
• potshots
• sails into
• harasses
• scathes
• lambastes
• castigates
• trashes
• belabors
• affronts
• beats up on
• reviles
• berates
• harangues
• harries
• slurs
• reprimands
• blasphemes
• lights into
• slanders
• execrates
• disparages
• libels
• belittles
• profanes
• vilifies
• rebukes
• whips
• imprecates
• fulminates
• asperses
• chastises
• bad-mouths
• chides
• lashes (out)
• laces (into)
• blackguards
• traduces
• puts down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• praises
• commends
• hails
• compliments
• lauds
• acclaims

3

as in approaches

to start work on energetically

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• approaches
• tackles
• has at
• dives (into)
• undertakes
• addresses
• tears into
• wades (in or into)
• pursues
• sails into
• falls (to)
• pitches into
• goes at
• focuses (on)
• settles (down)
• concentrates (on)
• buckles (down to)
• faces
• lights into
• plunges (in)
• knuckles down (to)
• pitches in
• zeroes (in on)
• takes up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• evades
• avoids
• shuns
• plays
• lags
• fools
• pokes
• messes
• fiddles (around)
• trifles
• monkeys (around)
• putters (around)
• dawdles
• idles
• dallies
• potters (around)
• dillydallies

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of attacks

Noun

In his statement, Dan also blamed Russia for a spate of attacks in recent weeks on civilian maritime transport in the Black Sea, which has left at least three people dead and has raised fears of an escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine. — Stephen McGrath, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026

The bomber could potentially conduct electronic attacks alongside its existing weapons operations, reducing its dependence on specialized escort aircraft in certain scenarios. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026

Gabriel Zucman, an economist, a Proposition 40 enthusiast and one of the co-authors of the more optimistic study, has issued a barrage of attacks on that paper. — Ramesh Ponnuru, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

On Saturday, thousands rallied in Tel Aviv to protest against Netanyahu’s government and call for an independent inquiry into the security failures that led to the 7 October Hamas attacks. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 27 Oct. 2026

Oromia regional government spokesperson Hailu Adugna blamed the Oromo Liberation Army, or OLA, for the attacks. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Several violent attacks between inmates and by employees have been reported in recent years at Northwest Correctional Complex. — CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026

Meanwhile, several violent attacks between inmates and by employees have been reported in recent years at Northwest Correctional Complex. — Jeffrey Collins, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cast his ballot in an election seen as a referendum on his leadership since the October 7, 2023 attacks. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2026

Verb

Republican rival Rick Jackson has spent heavily portraying Bottoms’ Atlanta mayoralty as a failure, focusing on crime and 2020 protests — attacks some supporters say carry racial and gender overtones. — Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026

But in about 1 out of every 200 infections globally, the virus attacks the nerves that control muscles, usually in the legs. — Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026

Smallwood attacks Nick’s virility, saying he’ll be publicly humiliated when his wife has to bail him out again in court. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026

The medicine is an individualized therapy that attacks the unique mutations, called neoantigens, found in a patient’s tumor. — Andrew Joseph, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026

She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, disrupting communication between the brain and the rest of the body. — Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Blair revealed in 2018 that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder that attacks healthy cells in the central nervous system, according to the National Institutes of Health. — Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder that attacks healthy cells in the central nervous system. — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026