ATTACKS Synonyms: 224 Similar and Opposite Words

attacks 1 of 2

noun

plural of attack

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

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as in bouts

a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder malaria is characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever

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attacks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of attack

as in raids

to take sudden, violent action against our dog unexpectedly attacked the mailman, sinking his teeth into the startled man's leg

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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

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as in approaches

to start work on energetically Courtney attacked the huge mess in her room with determination and enthusiasm

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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 attacks

Noun

While all three attacks are being treated as separate incidents, counterterror police are conducting the investigations due to the nature of the attacks, their locations and the types of buildings involved, the Met said. —

ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026 Hundreds have been arrested in countries across the Gulf region, according to the United Nations’ high commissioner for human rights, some on allegations of expressing sympathies for Iran’s attacks and for posting images of Iranian bombardments to social media. —

Jane Lytvynenko, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026 Google’s announcement and other company communications have also signaled a new priority on migrating to quantum-safe authentication schemes, lest adversaries use quantum computers in real-time attacks like the one Google demonstrated. —

Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 Apr. 2026 According to the agreement shared by the State Department, Israel can act in self-defense against imminent attacks but cannot carry out offensive operations against southern Lebanon. —

Melanie Lidman, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 Another family quietly grieves in North Carolina While the string of attacks rattles several communities in Georgia, Prianna Weathers’ mother mourns privately in her North Carolina home. —

Holly Yan, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026 The attacks rattled the Atlanta suburbs of Decatur, Brookhaven, and Panthersville in the early morning hours on Monday. —

Dan Raby, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026 In an attempt to prevent further attacks on Beirut, the Lebanese government reiterated its call to enter direct negotiations with Israel, an offer Netanyahu has since accepted. —

Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026 Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency claimed that talks wouldn’t happen unless Israel stopped its attacks in Lebanon. —

Damian J. Troise, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026

Verb

The man attacks the woman with the hammer multiple times before stepping over her unmoving body and walking away out of the frame of the camera. —

Arkansas Online, 11 Apr. 2026 She was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa — an eye disease that causes vision loss — and lupus, a disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy tissues and organs instead of fighting germs, according to court records. —

Chase Jordan april 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2026 Recent Iran attacks on a crucial Saudi pipeline have also slashed the kingdom's oil output, Saudi Arabia's state news agency said Thursday. —

Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026 The man attacks the woman with the hammer multiple times before stepping over her unmoving body and walking away, out of the frame of the camera. —

Gisela Salomon, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026 Botulism occurs when people eat food contaminated with botulinum toxin, a potent toxin that attacks the body’s nervous system. —

Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026 Global oil prices have surged as Iran tightens its grip on the Strait of Hormuz and attacks regional energy infrastructure, pushing Brent crude to around $107 a barrel, more than 45 percent higher than before the war began. —

Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026 Aidan died at the age of seven from adrenoleukodystrophy, or ALD, a genetic disorder that attacks the nervous system. —

Nicole Kruegel, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026 Mills attacks Platner's past comments This month, the governor returned to Platner's controversial social media posts, triggering an exchange of advertising that has largely overshadowed the Democrats' arguments to defeat Collins. —

Steve Mistler, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for attacks

Noun

Israel’s assaults typically come with some warning — the ominous buzz of low-flying drones, and an evacuation order shared on social media by the Israel Defense Forces’ Arabic spokesman.

— Nada Bashir, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Russia launched 324 drones and three ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight Wednesday, Ukrainian officials said, part of a broader surge in aerial assaults, according to Reuters.

— Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026