What does attack mean?
Attack is a versatile English noun and verb whose core meaning is the use of force or hostile action against someone or something. Its most familiar sense is military or physical: an armed assault aimed at harming or defeating an opponent. From this root sense, the word extends naturally into figurative territory — a scathing speech may be described as an attack on someone's character, a journalist may come under attack for a controversial report, and critics can attack an argument by dismantling it point by point. The word also has a firmly established medical meaning, describing the sudden onset of illness as in a heart attack or asthma attack. In sports and games, attack denotes offensive play directed at scoring. Derived forms include attacker, attacking, attackable, and counterattack. Forceful and direct in tone, attack is equally at home in news reporting, everyday conversation, and technical writing, making it one of English's most broadly useful verbs of confrontation.
A violent act intended to harm, capture, or defeat; an instance of strong criticism; or a sudden onset of illness.
"The city was vulnerable to attack from the sea."
In medicine, used in phrases such as 'heart attack' and 'asthma attack' to denote a sudden episode.
To begin fighting against someone with intent to harm or defeat them; to criticize severely; or to set about a task with vigor.
"She attacked the problem with renewed energy."
Regular plural; commonly used of repeated military assaults, waves of criticism, or recurring episodes of illness.
"The fortress withstood repeated attacks over several weeks."
The word 'attack' marched into English from Italian in the 1600s — and its cousin 'attach' once meant almost the same thing before they split apart in meaning.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of attack
Attack entered English in the early 17th century, borrowed from French attaquer, which itself came from Italian attaccare ('to attach, join in battle'). The Italian verb originally meant 'to fasten onto,' and the same root gave English attach — the two words were near-synonyms for a time before their meanings diverged. Cognate forms appear across Romance languages, including Italian attaccare and Spanish atacar.
Related word forms
How attack is actually used
Common in both formal and informal registers. In medical contexts, 'attack' refers to a sudden episode of illness and is standard clinical usage. Figurative uses (criticism, vigorous effort) are fully established and not considered metaphorical by most speakers.
Easily confused with attack
'Attach' means to fasten or join one thing to another, while 'attack' means to assault or criticize — the words differ by only one letter but are unrelated in meaning.