to set upon in a forceful, violent, hostile, or aggressive way, with or without a weapon; begin fighting with: He attacked him with his bare hands.
to begin hostilities against; start an offensive against: to attack the enemy.
to blame or abuse violently or bitterly.
to direct unfavorable criticism against; criticize severely; argue with strongly: He attacked his opponent's statement.
to try to destroy, especially with verbal abuse: to attack the mayor's reputation.
to set about (a task) or go to work on (a thing) vigorously: to attack housecleaning; to attack the hamburger hungrily.
(of disease, destructive agencies, etc.) to begin to affect.
verb (used without object)
to make an attack; begin hostilities.
noun
the act of attacking; onslaught; assault.
a military offensive against an enemy or enemy position.
Pathology. seizure by disease or illness: an attack of indigestion.
the beginning or initiating of any action; onset.
an aggressive move in a performance or contest.
the approach or manner of approach in beginning a musical phrase.
Origin of attack
1590–1600; earlier atta(c)que<Middle French atta(c)quer<Italian attaccare to attack, attach
SYNONYMS FOR attack
1 storm, charge.
4 censure; impugn, oppugn, abuse.
9 onset, encounter.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR attack ON THESAURUS.COM
ANTONYMS FOR attack
1, 4 defend.
9 defense.
SEE ANTONYMS FOR attack ON THESAURUS.COM
synonym study for attack
1. Attack,assail,assault,molest all mean to set upon someone forcibly, with hostile or violent intent. Attack is the most general word and applies to a beginning of hostilities, especially those definitely planned: to attack from ambush.Assail implies vehement, sudden, and sometimes repeated attack: to assail with weapons or with gossip.Assault almost always implies bodily violence: to assault with intent to kill. To molest is to harass, to threaten, or to assault: He was safe, and where no one could molest him.
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