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

One part of this offensive doctrine is the persistent but unpredictable attacks on tankers leaving the Gulf – so as to keep oil prices high. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russia this year, with long-range missiles and swarms of drones targeting military industries and energy facilities. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Weeks of Iranian drone and missile attacks on the UAE earlier this year, the vast majority of which were intercepted, sparked tensions among locals and hammered the country's tourism and aviation industry. — Jenni Reid,emma Graham, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026

The Gulf states may be open to such an approach despite their fury over Iran’s latest attacks; after all, Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a rapprochement in 2023 after an earlier bout of Iranian aggression. — Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

The physicians profiled in the doc risked their lives to perform emergency surgeries on children who had been gravely injured in shelling, bombing, and other attacks by the Israel Defense Forces. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026

Ultimately, attacks like Cosnitch, and Microsoft’s statement, are reminders that LLM security is largely built on a list of reactive restrictions. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026

Despite distancing herself from her Democratic predecessor, Klobuchar faced attacks from Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who ran in the Republican primary, arguing that her leadership would be tantamount to giving Walz another term. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2026

Verb

Greenidge, an award-winning public historian, refuted all charges, and told the New York Times that attacks on her scholarship were racially motivated. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026

However, when Duffy attacks Marcus during a confrontation with Slough House agents, Louisa hits the chief of the Dogs in the head, leaving him in a coma. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026

Meanwhile, donning night-vision giggles, Knoxville gleefully attacks them with trash can lids and tasers. — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026

Yellow-legged hornets, an invasive species that attacks honeybee colonies, have been spotted in North Carolina for the first time. — Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026

Taalas, a Toronto startup that AMD agreed to acquire on Thursday, attacks the problem by deleting it. — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Its venom primarily attacks the nervous system, potentially producing muscle weakness, respiratory paralysis, and death. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026

Shortly after she was diagnosed with class 3 lupus nephritis, a serious complication in which lupus attacks the kidneys. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026

Automation attacks that number by turning lights off when nobody is there and dimming them when full brightness is not needed. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026