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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in approaches
to start work on energetically
Courtney attacked the huge mess in her room with determination and enthusiasm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Sarah Dean, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict.
—Sue Halpern, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
In New York City, the royals will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks later this year, the outlet reported.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Lebanon truce threatened ahead of talks Multiple attacks undermined a fledgling ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon ahead of negotiations between the two countries in Washington today.
—Semafor Events, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Earlier, the Israeli army asked residents of the southern Lebanese village of Deir Aames to evacuate, saying Hezbollah was using the village to launch attacks against Israel.
—Munir Ahmed, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Kurdish government officials say those attacks have killed at least five people since then.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026
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
Hezbollah issued a statement Friday lauding its attacks on Israel during the war, claiming thousands of strikes on Israeli positions and settlements in retaliation for Israel's attacks on Lebanese territory.
—CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Nektar Therapeutics said Monday that extended treatment with its experimental drug, called rezpeg, promoted greater hair growth in people with severe alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that attacks hair follicles.
—Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026
Nate rushed her to the hospital, where doctors ran countless tests and determined that Tera had autoimmune myopathy, a condition in which the immune system attacks muscles, causing inflammation, weakness and fatigue.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 17 Apr. 2026
Tensions quickly escalate and Jessie eventually attacks the tablet before Bonnie comes running back in and the toys go lifeless.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Mitchell Gaff attacks teenage sisters in their sleep In the dark of night, Mitchell Gaff crept up to a home in Everett where a mother and her teenage daughters were sleeping.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The report also attacks the green energy housing standards introduced during the Biden administration as a factor in increasing construction costs.
—Josh Boak, Fortune, 14 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.
—Arkansas Online, 11 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
Noun
Both Hezbollah and Israel have have defended their attacks and claimed that the other has violated the ceasefire.
—Sarah Dean, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict.
—Sue Halpern, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
In New York City, the royals will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks later this year, the outlet reported.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Lebanon truce threatened ahead of talks Multiple attacks undermined a fledgling ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon ahead of negotiations between the two countries in Washington today.
—Semafor Events, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Earlier, the Israeli army asked residents of the southern Lebanese village of Deir Aames to evacuate, saying Hezbollah was using the village to launch attacks against Israel.
—Munir Ahmed, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Kurdish government officials say those attacks have killed at least five people since then.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026
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
Hezbollah issued a statement Friday lauding its attacks on Israel during the war, claiming thousands of strikes on Israeli positions and settlements in retaliation for Israel's attacks on Lebanese territory.
—CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
On Earth, the dangerous terrorist group known as the Wolfpack attacks major landmarks, such as Big Ben.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Nektar Therapeutics said Monday that extended treatment with its experimental drug, called rezpeg, promoted greater hair growth in people with severe alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that attacks hair follicles.
—Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026
Nate rushed her to the hospital, where doctors ran countless tests and determined that Tera had autoimmune myopathy, a condition in which the immune system attacks muscles, causing inflammation, weakness and fatigue.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 17 Apr. 2026
Tensions quickly escalate and Jessie eventually attacks the tablet before Bonnie comes running back in and the toys go lifeless.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Mitchell Gaff attacks teenage sisters in their sleep In the dark of night, Mitchell Gaff crept up to a home in Everett where a mother and her teenage daughters were sleeping.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The report also attacks the green energy housing standards introduced during the Biden administration as a factor in increasing construction costs.
—Josh Boak, Fortune, 14 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.
—Arkansas Online, 11 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attacks
Noun
-
No one was injured in the assaults, which included a shooting at a police station in the rural area of Jamundi, and an attack on a Civil Aviation radar facility in El Tambo, where authorities took down three explosives-laden drones.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
American forces have used thousands of missiles in attacking Iran while allies have powered through stockpiles in fending off Tehran’s assaults, leaving reserves low and forcing the Pentagon to rush hardware to the Gulf.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Later that evening, three rounds of hail inundated the house, followed by two bouts of whipping winds.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
-
During the competition 10 teams of poets compete in preliminary bouts with the top four teams performing at Finals.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That figure has dwindled to around 3 percent as fewer candidates avail themselves of the money and Congress raids the fund for other things.—
Adam Lashinsky,
Washington Post,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Some owls will hunt the wildlife that raids our garbage cans, like skunks and opossums.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hudson’s character plays dirty and slams Ness’ hand at tipoff.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
-
On stage, Cameron Winter leads an overall enthralling performance, as the group slams out songs back-to-back with little to say in between; no shenanigans, just a top-notch show.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Additional storm development is also possible across the Appalachians into the Mid-Atlantic as an upper-level system approaches from the west.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
As a courtroom showdown between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively approaches next month, lawyers for the former co-stars continued to hash out key pretrial issues Tuesday before a federal judge.—
Rebecca Keegan,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The army has retaken territory from ethnic militias, including the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which had launched powerful offensives along with pro-democracy resistance forces in northeastern Myanmar near the Chinese border and in western Myanmar.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Putin is widely expected to launch new offensives as the weather in Ukraine improves, piling further pressure on Kyiv.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Amari has epilepsy and is prone to seizures, according to Today.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Without treatment, meningitis can be life-threatening and lead to seizures, hearing or vision loss, fluid buildup in the brain, sepsis and more.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Blanche says on Monday that the noises correspond with the time the suspect allegedly storms the Secret Service security checkpoint on the floor above the ballroom.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Inflamed by Ratansen’s adviser’s account of Padmavati’s beauty, Alauddin Khalji storms the fortress by treachery rather than valor.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attacks. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
