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attack

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verb American English pronunciation: attack /əˈtæk/ 
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyattack
he/she/itattacks
present participleattacking
past tenseattacked
past participleattacked
Other entries for this word
 
  1. 1
    [intransitive/transitive] to use violence to harm a person, animal, or place

    It was shortly before midnight when the terrorists attacked.

    attack someone with something:

    Two prison officers were brutally attacked with a knife.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of attack
    1. a.
      to use weapons to try to defeat an enemy

      The enemy attacked at dawn.

      U.S. jets attacked five air-defense sites in the north.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of attack
  2. 2
    [transitive] to strongly criticize someone or something for their ideas or actions

    Opponents attacked the government's plan to increase highway taxes.

    attack someone/something for (doing) something:

    Congress is being attacked for failing to take action.

    attack something as something:

    The mayor last night attacked the decision as foolish.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of attack
  3. 3
    [intransitive/transitive] to cause damage or disease in something

    The virus attacks the body's red blood cells.

    The wood had been attacked by a fungus.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of attack
  4. 4
    [transitive] to begin working on something or doing something with enthusiasm and determination

    We need to attack the problem now before it gets worse.

    She was just about to attack a plate of spaghetti when the phone rang.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of attack
  5. 5
    [intransitive/transitive] to try to score points against an opponent in a game or sport

    They attacked with determination and defended well.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of attack

This is the American English definition of attack. View British English definition of attack.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to British English.

View the pronunciation for attack.

 

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