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

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

The attacks come as tensions are rising between the government of western Libya and warlord Mohamed Bahroun, who controls the city of Zawiya. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026

The Houthi attacks could reignite Yemen's civil war following a 2022 truce, and open a new front in the Middle East war. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

In fact, the attacks demonstrated in the post are neither novel nor unique to passkeys. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026

The latest attacks also raise the threat of an outbreak of another full-scale war in Yemen. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

In recent years and as online culture changed, Hilton toned down his public attacks and appeared to embrace fatherhood and adopt a kinder public persona, even integrating more family-friendly content on his site. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026

Russia set new wartime records for both the scale and pace of its missile attacks on Ukraine in July, according to data released by the Ukrainian Air Force. — Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Ukraine’s attacks inside Russia come as its own civilians faced deadly Russian bombardment throughout the summer. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 4 Aug. 2026

Verb

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

Greg becomes the first of Sara's friends to die when the shark attacks him in the water. — Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 29 July 2026

The filmmaker has previously spoken about having myositis — a disease where the immune system attacks the muscles — which has significantly affected his mobility. — Rino Lu, IndieWire, 28 July 2026