attack

verb
UK: /əˈtæk/
US: /əˈtæk/

  1. To try to hurt or defeat someone or something using violence.

    1. The dog will attack if you tease it. [ ] [ ]
    2. The soldiers had to attack the enemy position before dawn for strategic reasons. [ ] [ ]

  2. To criticize someone or something strongly.

    1. The politician will attack his opponent's plan. [ ] [ ]
    2. Critics often attack the movie for its unrealistic plot and poor acting choices. [ ] [ ]

  3. To begin to do something with energy and enthusiasm.

    1. I'll attack this problem after lunch. [ ] [ ]
    2. She decided to attack the pile of paperwork with renewed vigour following the meeting. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

assault blame seizure onslaught onset criticize
attack noun

  1. An act of violence intended to hurt or damage someone or something.

    1. The attack happened at night. [ ] [ ]
    2. The city suffered heavy damage after the unexpected aerial attack that morning. [ ] [ ]

  2. Strong criticism of someone or something.

    1. Her speech was a real attack. [ ] [ ]
    2. The newspaper published a scathing attack on the government's new economic policy. [ ] [ ]

  3. A sudden short period of illness.

    1. He had a heart attack last year. [ ] [ ]
    2. She suffered an asthma attack after exposure to the allergen in the garden. [ ] [ ]
attack adjective

  1. Used in order to attack.

    1. The dog was in attack mode. [ ] [ ]
    2. He has an attack style of writing. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "attack" in English means: To try to hurt or defeat someone or something using violence., To criticize someone or something strongly., To begin to do something with energy and enthusiasm..

The phonetic transcription of "attack" is /əˈtæk/ in British English and /əˈtæk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "attack": assault, blame, seizure, onslaught, onset, criticize.

Example usage of "attack": "The dog will attack if you tease it.". More examples on the page.