What is another word for attack?

It depends which attack you mean. In the sense “(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)”, the synonyms are onslaught, onset, onrush. Across all 15 senses there are 18 distinct synonyms, and they are not interchangeable with each other — this page lists them under the sense each one belongs to.

What is the opposite of attack?

The recorded antonym is defend. Opposites are sense-specific too: this page shows which meaning each one is the opposite of, because a word rarely has a single opposite that holds for all of its senses.

Why are the synonyms for attack split into groups?

Because attack carries 15 recorded senses and each has its own set of substitutes. A single flat list would put words from unrelated meanings side by side with nothing to tell them apart, which is exactly how a writer picks the wrong one. The grouping comes from WordNet's synsets, not from an editorial judgement of ours.

Where do the synonyms for attack come from?

From Princeton University's WordNet, a lexical database maintained by lexicographers since 1985. A synonym here means a word form that shares a synset with this word — a set of forms interchangeable in one recorded context. Nothing on this page is generated by a language model.

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Synonyms and antonyms

attack

attack/əˈtæk/

nounverbCore

attack has 18 distinct synonyms spread across 9 of its 15 senses. Each sense below keeps its own list, because a synonym belongs to a meaning and not to a word: swapping one sense's substitute into another sense's sentence is how a thesaurus makes writing worse. Its one recorded opposite is defend.

18
Distinct synonyms: 1
Antonym: 15 of 15

Senses with a relation

Counts are distinct word forms across every sense. A synonym that appears under three senses is counted once here and shown three times below, under each sense it belongs to.

attack as a noun

9 of 9 senses carry a relation

1.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
“the attack began at dawn”
Synonymsonslaught onset onrush
Related
Broaderoperation
Narrowerground attack charge banzai attack diversion penetration blitz strike counterattack bombing fire
2.
an offensive move in a sport or game
“they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning”
SynonymsNo synonym recorded for this sense.
Related
Broaderturn
Narrowercounterattack
3.
intense adverse criticism
“Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party”
Synonymsfire flak flack blast
Related
Broadercriticism
4.
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”
Synonymsapproach plan of attack
Related
Broaderconceptualization
Narroweravenue
5.
the act of attacking
“attacks on women increased last year”
Synonymsattempt
Related
Broadercrime
Narrowerassault
6.
a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase
Synonymstone-beginning
Related
Broaderbeginning
7.
a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition
“an attack of diarrhea”
SynonymsNo synonym recorded for this sense.
Related
Broaderaffliction
Narroweranxiety attack flare seizure touch stroke paroxysm hysterics
8.
the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent)
“the film was sensitive to attack by acids”
SynonymsNo synonym recorded for this sense.
Related
Broaderdegeneration
9.
strong criticism
“he published an unexpected attack on my work”
SynonymsNo synonym recorded for this sense.
Related
Broadercriticism
Narroweraspersion

attack as a verb

6 of 6 senses carry a relation

1.
launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with
“Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II”
Synonymsassail
Antonymsdefend
Related
Broadercontend
Narrowersubmarine pepper strike

Questions about attack

What is another word for attack?: It depends which attack you mean. In the sense “(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)”, the synonyms are onslaught, onset, onrush. Across all 15 senses there are 18 distinct synonyms, and they are not interchangeable with each other — this page lists them under the sense each one belongs to.
What is the opposite of attack?: The recorded antonym is defend. Opposites are sense-specific too: this page shows which meaning each one is the opposite of, because a word rarely has a single opposite that holds for all of its senses.
Why are the synonyms for attack split into groups?: Because attack carries 15 recorded senses and each has its own set of substitutes. A single flat list would put words from unrelated meanings side by side with nothing to tell them apart, which is exactly how a writer picks the wrong one. The grouping comes from WordNet's synsets, not from an editorial judgement of ours.
Where do the synonyms for attack come from?: From Princeton University's WordNet, a lexical database maintained by lexicographers since 1985. A synonym here means a word form that shares a synset with this word — a set of forms interchangeable in one recorded context. Nothing on this page is generated by a language model.