Definition of attack - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
conflictact of aggression against someone or something
- The sudden attack left the village in chaos.
2.
medicalsudden onset of a disease or condition
- He suffered an asthma attack during the night.
3.
technologyTECH. attempt to exploit a computer vulnerabilityTECH.
- The firewall prevented the cyber attack.
4.
sportsoffensive move in a sport or game
- The team made a strong attack in the final minutes.
5.
communicationcriticism or opposition, especially in a public context
- He launched a verbal attack against the proposed law.
6.
musicTECH. beginning of a musical note or soundTECH.
- The pianist's attack was sharp and precise.
Verb
1.
physical forcetr. apply violent force to someone or somethingtr.
- The army will attack at dawn.
2.
harmful effecttr./intr. begin to affect injuriously or destructivelytr./intr.
- The disease began to attack his immune system.
3.
verbal criticismtr. aggressively challenge a person or idea with wordstr.
- The politician attacked his opponent's policies.
4.
sports offensetr./intr. move forward in an attempt to scoretr./intr.
- The team attacked the goal with determination.
Expressions with attack
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
sudden craving for snacks
I had a snack attack and ate a whole bag of chips.
craving for McDonald's food
I had a mac attack and went to get a Big Mac.
be criticized or opposed by others
The new policy came under attack from various groups.
acting first can protect you better than waiting
In court, their best defense is attack.
being aggressive can prevent threats
In football, the best defence is attack.
main force or impact of an attack
The city bore the brunt of the attack.
start a strong and damaging criticism
The politician launched a withering attack on his opponent's policies.
start trying again after stopping or failing before
After a short break, she returned to the attack.
dog trained to attack on command
The security team used an attack dog for protection.
begin working on solving the problem
We need to attack the problem before it gets worse.
target someone with harmful actions or words
She felt he was trying to personally attack her reputation.
being targeted by physical or verbal aggression
The city was under attack during the war.
sudden flare-up causing hard breathing in people with asthma
He had an asthma attack during practice and needed his inhaler.
experience being criticized or threatened by others
She feels under attack during the meeting.
start aggressive action against someone or something
The army will launch an attack at dawn.
abusive remark on someone's character
The debate turned into a series of personal attacks.
detailed method for achieving a goal
Her plan of attack included daily practice sessions.
very intense effort to defeat or strongly criticize a person or problem
The candidate launched an all-out attack on government corruption.
method or approach used to achieve something
Their line of attack in negotiations was very aggressive..
very severe heart attack damaging a large area of heart muscle
He died suddenly after suffering a massive heart attack at home.
sudden intense fear with physical symptoms
She experienced a panic attack during the meeting.
very harsh criticism meant to hurt or shame someone
The article was a scathing attack on the politician's honesty.
surprise violence against civilians for political or religious aims
The city was shaken by a terrorist attack last night.
confront a problem directly without hesitation
She decided to attack head-on the issues at work.
Origin of attack
French, attaquer (to attack)
Terms with attack included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
animals
attack with the teeth
pursuit
pursue to catch or attack
insect attack
inject poison with a sharp point
aiming point
object or area aimed at during an attack or activity
behavior
ready to attack or argue
military
attack a place using bombs
protection
resist an attack made on someone or something
protection
protection against attack or harm
protection measures
measures taken to protect against crime, attack, sabotage, or espionage
gun attack
incident where firearms are discharged with intent to harm
attack
move towards someone aggressively
self-defense
defend oneself against an attack
neutral
not meant as a personal attack or insult
attack
move quickly towards someone aggressively
protection
methods used to protect oneself from physical attack
animal attack
injury caused by a shark's teeth
combat
cause to fall by a blow or attack
animal movement
a sudden leap to attack or catch something
attack
attempt to seize or grab quickly
military
equip with weapons for defense or attack
violence
make a physical attack on
violence
attack with intent to harm
ground attack
placing and detonating bombs
air attack
dropping bombs from aircraft
Examples of attack in a sentence
The military launched a surprise attack at dawn. She experienced a panic attack before the presentation. His heart attack was a wake-up call for lifestyle changes. The attack on the server was detected early. They launched an attack to breach the system. Their attack strategy was well-planned and executed.
A sudden attack caught the opposing team off guard. The article was a scathing attack on the politician's actions. She faced an unexpected attack from her colleagues during the meeting. The attack of the violin note was gentle. His attack on the drum was unexpectedly soft. The lion will attack its prey silently. Pirates plan to attack the ship at night. The virus started to attack the body's vital organs. Pollutants can attack the environment, causing severe damage. Critics attacked the new movie for its lack of originality. He attacked the proposal with a series of pointed questions. The players attacked the basket with great energy. They attacked the net, hoping to score quickly.
View all translations of attack
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:attaque, attaquer, ...
- German:Angriff, angreifen, ...
- Italian:aggressione, attaccare, ...
- Spanish:agresión, atacar, ...
- Portuguese:ataque, atacar, ...
- Chinese:攻击, 侵袭, ...
- Japanese:攻撃, 攻撃する, ...
- Arabic:هُجُوم, هَاجَمَ, ...
- Hebrew:הַתְקָפָה, לִתְקוֹף, ...
- Russian:атака, атаковать, ...
- Ukrainian:напад, атакувати, ...
- Hindi:हमला, हमला करना, ...
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