ATTACK

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does attack mean? 

• ATTACK (noun)
  The noun ATTACK has 9 senses:

1. (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
2. a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition
3. intense adverse criticism
4. the act of attacking
5. an offensive move in a sport or game
6. the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent)
7. ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation
8. a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase
9. strong criticism

  Familiarity information: ATTACK used as a noun is familiar.

• ATTACK (verb)
  The verb ATTACK has 6 senses:

1. launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with
2. attack in speech or writing
3. take the initiative and go on the offensive
4. attack someone physically or emotionally
5. set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task
6. begin to injure

  Familiarity information: ATTACK used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ATTACK (noun)

Sense 1

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

onrush; attack; onset; onslaught

Context example:

the attack began at dawn

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

military operation; operation (activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign))

Meronyms (parts of "attack"):

assault (close fighting during the culmination of a military attack)

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

coup de main; surprise attack (an attack without warning)

strafe (an attack of machine-gun fire or cannon fire from a low flying airplane)

fire; firing (the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy)

bombardment; bombing (an attack by dropping bombs)

counterattack; countermove (an attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc.)

strike (an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective)

blitz; blitzkrieg (a swift and violent military offensive with intensive aerial bombardment)

ground attack (an attack by ground troops)

charge (a impetuous rush toward someone or something)

banzai attack; banzai charge (a mass attack of troops without concern for casualties; originated by Japanese who accompanied it with yells of 'banzai')

diversion; diversionary attack (an attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack)

incursion; penetration (an attack that penetrates into enemy territory)

Sense 2

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

an attack of diarrhea

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

affliction (a cause of great suffering and distress)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

heart attack (a sudden severe instance of abnormal heart function)

occlusion (closure or blockage (as of a blood vessel))

hysterics (an attack of hysteria)

convulsion; fit; paroxysm (a sudden uncontrollable attack)

apoplexy; cerebrovascular accident; CVA; stroke (a sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain)

spot; touch (a slight attack of illness)

ictus; raptus; seizure (a sudden occurrence (or recurrence) of a disease)

flare (a sudden recurrence or worsening of symptoms)

anxiety attack (a sudden acute episode of intense anxiety and feelings of panic)

Sense 3

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Intense adverse criticism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

flack; flak; attack; fire; blast

Context examples:

Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party / the government has come under attack / don't give me any flak

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

criticism; unfavorable judgment (disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings)

Sense 4

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The act of attacking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

attempt; attack

Context examples:

attacks on women increased last year / they made an attempt on his life

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

crime; law-breaking ((criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

assault (a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped)

Sense 5

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

An offensive move in a sport or game

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

play; turn ((game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

counterattack; counterplay ((chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board)

Sense 6

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Context examples:

the film was sensitive to attack by acids / open to attack by the elements

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

degeneration; devolution (the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality)

Sense 7

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

approach; plan of attack; attack

Context examples:

his approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons / an attack on inflation / his plan of attack was misguided

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

conceptualisation; conceptualization; formulation (inventing or contriving an idea or explanation and formulating it mentally)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

avenue (a line of approach)

Sense 8

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

tone-beginning; attack

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

beginning; commencement; start (the act of starting something)

Sense 9

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Strong criticism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

he published an unexpected attack on my work

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

criticism; unfavorable judgment (disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

aspersion; calumny; defamation; denigration; slander (an abusive attack on a person's character or good name)

• ATTACK (verb)

Sense 1

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

attack; assail

Context examples:

Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II / Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

contend; fight; struggle (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attack"):

bust; raid (search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on)

torpedo (attack or hit with torpedoes)

cannonade (attack with canons or artillery)

strafe (attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane)

bomb; bombard (throw bombs at or attack with bombs)

beleaguer; besiege; circumvent; hem in; surround (surround so as to force to give up)

invade; occupy (march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation)

blitz (attack suddenly and without warning)

submarine (attack by submarine)

pelt; pepper (attack and bombard with or as if with missiles)

hit; strike (make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target)

counterattack; counterstrike (make a counterattack)

gas (attack with gas; subject to gas fumes)

storm; surprise (attack by storm; attack suddenly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Antonym:

defend (be on the defensive; act against an attack)

Sense 2

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Attack in speech or writing

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

lash out; attack; snipe; assault; assail; round

Context example:

The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attack"):

rubbish (attack strongly)

blister; scald; whip (subject to harsh criticism)

barrage; bombard (address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage)

whang (attack forcefully)

rip (criticize or abuse strongly and violently)

vitriol (subject to bitter verbal abuse)

claw (attack as if with claws)

abuse; blackguard; clapperclaw; shout (use foul or abusive language towards)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 3

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Take the initiative and go on the offensive

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

aggress; attack

Context examples:

The Serbs attacked the village at night / The visiting team started to attack

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attack"):

tackle (seize and throw down an opponent player, who usually carries the ball)

pin (immobilize a piece)

harass (exhaust by attacking repeatedly)

fork (place under attack with one's own pieces, of two enemy pieces)

check (place into check)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 4

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Attack someone physically or emotionally

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

assail; assault; set on; attack

Context examples:

The mugger assaulted the woman / Nightmares assailed him regularly

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attack"):

desecrate; outrage; profane; violate (violate the sacred character of a place or language)

assault; dishonor; dishonour; outrage; rape; ravish; violate (force (someone) to have sex against their will)

beset; set upon (assail or attack on all sides:)

jump (make a sudden physical attack on)

reassail (assail again)

savage (attack brutally and fiercely)

blindside (attack or hit on or from the side where the attacked person's view is obstructed)

rush (attack suddenly)

bulldog (attack viciously and ferociously)

set; sic (urge a dog to attack someone)

bait (attack with dogs or set dogs upon)

molest (harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 5

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

begin; commence; get; get down; set about; set out; start; start out (take the first step or steps in carrying out an action)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

attack [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Begin to injure

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context examples:

The cancer cells are attacking his liver / Rust is attacking the metal

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

affect (act physically on; have an effect upon)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something