Antonyms for attack
əˈtækat·tack

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. attacknoun

   Synonyms:
   hit, spike

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 2 votes

1. attackverb

   To attack is to begin hostilities of any kind. A general invades a country by marching in troops; he attacks a city by drawing up an army against it; he assaults it by hurling his troops directly upon its defenses. Assail and assault, tho of the same original etymology, have diverged in meaning, so that assault alone retains the meaning of direct personal violence. One may assail another with reproaches; he assaults him with a blow, a brandished weapon, etc. Armies or squadrons charge; combat and encounter may be said of individual contests. To beset is to set around, or, so to speak, to stud one's path, with menaces, attacks, or persuasions. To besiege and beleaguer are the acts of armies. To encounter is to meet face to face, and may be said either of the attacking or of the resisting force or person, or of both.

   Antonyms:
   aid, befriend, cover, defend, protect, resist, shelter, shield, support, sustain, uphold, withstand

   Synonyms:
   assail, assault, beleaguer, beset, besiege, charge, combat, encounter, fall upon, invade, set upon, storm

   Preposition:
   We were attacked by the enemy with cannon and musketry.

2. attacknoun

   An attack may be by word; an aggression is always by deed. An assault may be upon the person, an aggression is upon rights, possessions, etc. An invasion of a nation's territories is an act of aggression; an intrusion upon a neighboring estate is a trespass. Onslaught signifies intensely violent assault, as by an army or a desperado, tho it is sometimes used of violent speech.

   Antonyms:
   defense, repulsion, resistance, retreat, submission, surrender

   Synonyms:
   aggression, assault, encroachment, incursion, infringement, intrusion, invasion, onset, onslaught, trespass

   Preposition:
   The enemy made an attack upon (or on) our works.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. attackverb

   Antonyms:
   defend, resist, repel, protest, withstand oil one's own part, or for another, support, aid, shield, uphold, vindicate, shelter

   Synonyms:
   assail, assault, invade, encounter, charge, besiege, impugn, contravene

2. attacknoun

   Antonyms:
   defense, resistance, repulse, protection, aid, vindication, support, maintenance, shelter

   Synonyms:
   invasion, assault, onset, aggression, onslaught

Matched Categories

1. • Act
   • Affect
   • Affliction
   • Begin
   • Beginning
   • Conceptualization
   • Criticize
   • Degeneration
   • Fight
   • Turn

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. attack, onslaught, onset, onrushnoun

   (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

   "the attack began at dawn"

   Antonyms:
   defend

   Synonyms:
   attempt, approach, oncoming, onrush, bombardment, plan of attack, fire, blast, flak, onset, onslaught, tone-beginning, flack, outpouring, barrage

2. attacknoun

   an offensive move in a sport or game

   "they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"

   Antonyms:
   defend

   Synonyms:
   attempt, approach, onrush, plan of attack, fire, blast, flak, onset, onslaught, tone-beginning, flack

3. fire, attack, flak, flack, blastnoun

   intense adverse criticism

   "Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack"; "don't give me any flak"

   Antonyms:
   defend

   Synonyms:
   ardour, antiaircraft gun, flaming, fervour, ardor, flak, tone-beginning, antiaircraft, onslaught, attempt, blow, fervidness, flak catcher, bam, onset, flack catcher, flack, clap, flame, ack-ack gun, eruption, fire, gust, ack-ack, approach, firing, onrush, fervency, blast, bang, fervor, pom-pom, plan of attack, good time

4. approach, attack, plan of attacknoun

   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"

   Antonyms:
   defend

   Synonyms:
   attempt, flak, onrush, coming, feeler, tone-beginning, approaching, blast, approach shot, onset, glide path, onslaught, glide slope, approach, approach path, advance, overture, access, plan of attack, flack, fire

5. attack, attemptnoun

   the act of attacking

   "attacks on women increased last year"; "they made an attempt on his life"

   Antonyms:
   defend

   Synonyms:
   attempt, approach, endeavor, onrush, try, plan of attack, fire, endeavour, blast, flak, effort, onset, onslaught, tone-beginning, flack

6. attack, tone-beginningnoun

   a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase

   Antonyms:
   defend

   Synonyms:
   attempt, approach, onrush, plan of attack, fire, blast, flak, onset, onslaught, tone-beginning, flack

7. attacknoun

   a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition

   "an attack of diarrhea"

   Antonyms:
   defend

   Synonyms:
   attempt, approach, onrush, plan of attack, fire, blast, flak, onset, onslaught, tone-beginning, flack

8. attacknoun

   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"

   Antonyms:
   defend

   Synonyms:
   attempt, approach, onrush, plan of attack, fire, blast, flak, onset, onslaught, tone-beginning, flack

9. attackverb

   strong criticism

   "he published an unexpected attack on my work"

   Antonyms:
   defend

   Synonyms:
   attempt, approach, onrush, plan of attack, fire, blast, flak, onset, onslaught, tone-beginning, flack

10. attack, assailverb

    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"

    Antonyms:
    defend

    Synonyms:
    set on, assail, lash out, aggress, round, assault, snipe

11. attack, round, assail, lash out, snipe, assaultverb

    attack in speech or writing

    "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker"

    Antonyms:
    defend

    Synonyms:
    ravish, round out, set on, polish up, rape, violate, round down, polish, snipe, lash out, outrage, assail, fill out, dishonor, round, assault, labialise, brush up, labialize, flesh out, aggress, dishonour, sharpshoot, round off

12. attack, aggressverb

    take the initiative and go on the offensive

    "The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started to attack"

    Antonyms:
    defend

    Synonyms:
    set on, assail, lash out, aggress, round, assault, snipe

13. assail, assault, set on, attackverb

    attack someone physically or emotionally

    "The mugger assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"

    Antonyms:
    defend

    Synonyms:
    violate, set on, assail, lash out, snipe, ravish, round, dishonour, outrage, assault, rape, dishonor, aggress

14. attackverb

    set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task

    "I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed"

    Antonyms:
    defend

    Synonyms:
    set on, round, lash out, assail, snipe, aggress, assault

15. attackverb

    begin to injure

    "The cancer cells are attacking his liver"; "Rust is attacking the metal"

    Antonyms:
    defend

    Synonyms:
    set on, round, lash out, assail, snipe, aggress, assault

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. attacknoun

   Synonyms:
   assault, onset, aggression, onslaught, invasion, escalade, siege, descent, charge, bombardment, fusillade, allonge, oppugnancy, access, fit

2. attackverb

   Synonyms:
   assault, assail, invade, charge, beset, storm, besiege, bombard, waylay, impugn, censure

Editors ContributionRate these antonyms:2.5 / 2 votes

1. defend

   because attack opposite is defend

   example - gain answer - lose

   Submitted by anonymous on September 22, 2020  

2. aegis

   the protection, backing or support of a particular person or organization.

   Submitted by anonymous on February 15, 2021  

3. defense

   an offensive against an enemy

   the uss constitution was nicknamed "old ironsides" after its oaken hull successfully withstood a british attack.

   Submitted by davidb on July 25, 2018  

How to use attack in a sentence?

1. Staci Coleman:

   My flight commanders were responsible for compiling the lists of personnel, and I explained it needed to be divided by combat capability and then by those they believed were emotionally equipped to endure remaining behind for a possible missile attack.

2. Jeffrey Bank:

   My team members work too hard to serve our guests, work too hard to comply with New York's vaccination requirements, and still suffer too much from the attack for me to allow these false statements to stand.

3. Jerry Falwell:

   Homosexuality is Satan's diabolical attack upon the family that will not only have a corrupting influence upon our next generation, but it will also bring down the wrath of God upon America.

4. Eric Shahan:

   If your mind is in a jumble before battle, defeat would be certain. There could certainly be a connection to the eyes of the heart in the sense that you need to allow your body to react freely and unconsciously to the opponents attack.

5. Kirstjen Nielsen:

   Don't get me wrong, terrorists and criminals still pose a serious threat to our lives, and they are plotting against Americans daily. However, the' attack surface' in cyberspace is now broader and under more frequent assault.

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