attack - definition, thesaurus and related words from WordNet-Online

WordNet-Online
Free dictionary and thesaurus of English. Definitions, synonyms, antonyms and more...
Hint: double-click any word to get it searched!

Noun attack has 9 senses

attack, onslaught, onset, onrush - (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons); "the attack began at dawn"
--₁ is a kind of operation, military operation
--₁ has parts: assault
--₁ has particulars:

ground attack; charge; banzai attack, banzai charge; diversion, diversionary attack; penetration, incursion; blitz; strike; counterattack, countermove; bombing, bombardment; fire, firing; strafe; surprise attack, coup de main

Derived forms: verb attack₃, verb attack₁

attack - a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition; "an attack of diarrhea"
--₂ is a kind of affliction
--₂ has particulars:
anxiety attack; flare; seizure, ictus, raptus; touch, spot; stroke, apoplexy, cerebrovascular accident, CVA; paroxysm, fit, convulsion; hysterics; occlusion; heart attack
fire, attack, flak, flack, blast - intense adverse criticism; "Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack"; "don't give me any flak"
--₃ is a kind of criticism, unfavorable judgment

Derived form: verb attack₂
attack, attempt - the act of attacking; "attacks on women increased last year"; "they made an attempt on his life"
--₄ is a kind of crime, law-breaking
--₄ has particulars: assault
Derived form: verb attack₄
attack - an offensive move in a sport or game; "they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"
--₅ is a kind of turn, play
--₅ has particulars: counterattack, counterplay
attack - the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent); "the film was sensitive to attack by acids"; "open to attack by the elements"
--₆ is a kind of degeneration, devolution

Derived form: verb attack₆
approach, attack, plan of attack - ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation; "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"
--₇ is a kind of conceptualization, conceptualisation, formulation
--₇ has particulars: avenue
attack, tone-beginning - a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase
--₈ is a kind of beginning, start, commencement
attack - strong criticism; "he published an unexpected attack on my work"
--₉ is a kind of criticism, unfavorable judgment
--₉ has particulars:
aspersion, calumny, slander, defamation, denigration

Verb attack has 6 senses

attack, assail - launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with; "Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II"; "Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week"
--₁ is one way to fight, struggle
Antonyms: defend

Derived forms: noun attack₁, noun attacker₁
Sample sentences:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
attack, round, assail, lash out, snipe, assault - attack in speech or writing; "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker"
--₂ is one way to knock, criticize, criticise, pick apart

Derived forms: noun attack₃, noun attacker₁
Sample sentences:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
attack, aggress - take the initiative and go on the offensive; "The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started to attack"
--₃ is one way to act, move

Derived forms: noun attack₁, noun attacker₁
Sample sentences:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
=> Somebody ----s something
=> Somebody ----s somebody
assail, assault, set on, attack - attack someone physically or emotionally; "The mugger assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"

Derived forms: noun attack₄, noun attacker₁
Sample sentences:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
attack - set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task; "I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed"
--₅ is one way to get down, begin, get, start out, start, set about, set out, commence

Derived form: noun attacker₁
Sample sentence:
Somebody ----s something
attack - begin to injure; "The cancer cells are attacking his liver"; "Rust is attacking the metal"
--₆ is one way to affect

Derived forms: noun attack₆, noun attacker₁
Sample sentence:
Something ----s something