ATTACK Synonyms: 219 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'attack' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of attack are assail , assault , bombard , and storm . While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle. // plan to attack the town at dawn

Q: When could 'assail' be used to replace 'attack'?

The words assail and attack are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots. // assailed the enemy with artillery fire

Q: When might 'assault' be a better fit than 'attack'?

Although the words assault and attack have much in common, assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught. // commandos assaulted the building from all sides

Q: When would 'bombard' be a good substitute for 'attack'?

The synonyms bombard and attack are sometimes interchangeable, but bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells. // bombarded the city nightly

Q: When can 'storm' be used instead of 'attack'?

While the synonyms storm and attack are close in meaning, storm implies attempting to break into a defended position. // preparing to storm the fortress

attack 1 of 2

noun

Definition of attack

as in assault

the act or action of setting upon with force or violence The USS Constitution was nicknamed "Old Ironsides" after its oaken hull successfully withstood a British attack

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as in bout

a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder malaria is characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever

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attack

2 of 2

verb

ə-ˈtak

as in to assault

to take sudden, violent action against our dog unexpectedly attacked the mailman, sinking his teeth into the startled man's leg

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to slam

to criticize harshly and usually publicly the mayor and all his aides were attacked mercilessly in the press when the scandal erupted

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to approach

to start work on energetically Courtney attacked the huge mess in her room with determination and enthusiasm

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb attack contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of attack are assail, assault, bombard, and storm. While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle.

plan to attack the town at dawn

When could assail be used to replace attack?

The words assail and attack are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots.

assailed the enemy with artillery fire

When might assault be a better fit than attack?

Although the words assault and attack have much in common, assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught.

commandos assaulted the building from all sides

When would bombard be a good substitute for attack?

The synonyms bombard and attack are sometimes interchangeable, but bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells.

bombarded the city nightly

When can storm be used instead of attack?

While the synonyms storm and attack are close in meaning, storm implies attempting to break into a defended position.

preparing to storm the fortress

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of attack

Noun

In late December, 350 troops were deployed to the city to boost public safety in the French Quarter as part of a heavy security presence for New Year’s celebrations a year after an attack on revelers on Bourbon Street killed 14 people. — Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Wheeler later turned himself in to police and was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on charges connected to the attack. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Verb

There was no indication that Kharg Island had actually been attacked, and a senior Iranian oil official ridiculed the claim. — Jane Arraf, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 Eight in 10 Americans believe attacking Iran increased the cost of gas and groceries, and a majority disapprove of the war in Iran according to a new UMass Amherst Poll. — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for attack

Recent Examples of Synonyms for attack

Noun

He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, the department said.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026
Castro is charged in Minnesota with assault and falsely reporting a crime in the January 14 shooting of 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of assault

Noun

Perhaps cognisant of the last time one of his fighters — fellow British heavyweight Fabio Wardley — was in a similar predicament during his bout against Dubois in May.

— Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
The bout ran eight rounds at two minutes each, contested at a super heavyweight limit of 110 kilograms.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of bout

Verb

Thieves on Thursday raided the Treasure of Villena -- one of the greatest Bronze Age gold collections -- at a museum in the Spanish city of Villena, taking most of the 50-plus mainly gold bracelets, bowls, bottles and other items on display.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Mundubile, who rejected the election result as neither free nor fair, had been in hiding since security forces raided his Lusaka home during the election period.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of raid

Verb

Kenzie Annis clam-slammed her way into Love Island fans’ hearts during season eight of the reality dating show and would love the chance to do it again on Dancing With the Stars.

— Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 31 Aug. 2026
In April, the Biennale art exhibition — run by the Venice Biennale Foundation, which also runs the film festival — was slammed for allowing Russia and Israel to mount shows in their pavilions.

— Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of slam

Verb

Fleming by body camera footage, approached Parker, who was talking on his cellphone.

— Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
The project uses horror and darkly comic genre elements to approach the psychological pressures of motherhood, extending Urban’s interest in personal experience as a route into broader social and political terrain.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of approach

Noun

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has sued several states that have tried to treat prediction market sites as a form of gambling, a type of legal offensive the agency has never before embarked on.

— Bobby Allyn, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
More than four decades ago, after months of setbacks in the war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, thousands of young Iranian troops launched a surprise offensive that turned the tide.

— Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of offensive

Noun

The problem is, Isolde is very busy with work, so Ry is often left to herself with four alarms a day to take medication to prevent seizures.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
The column argues that Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of more than 650,000 Proposition 50 ballots was an unprecedented intrusion into the election process that threatened the integrity of the vote and the chain of custody for ballots.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of seizure

Verb

Gauff, who won the 2023 title beating Karolina Muchova, stormed out to a 5-0 lead in the first set on Sunday before winning 6-2.

— Jeff Wallner, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Or what about storming the field, the tradition that follows a momentous win, when order dissolves and players brace themselves for a horde of fans pouring out of the stands.

— Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of storm

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“Attack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attack. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of attack

noun

verb

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More from Merriam-Webster

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conscientious

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