How to pronounce attack
Say it like uh-TAK. Attack has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce attack. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- TAK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Attack pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- TAKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of attack
American and British speakers say attack in essentially the same way: /əˈtæk/ in the US and /əˈtæk/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-TAK.
What does attack mean?
- 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”
- attack in speech or writing“The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker”
- attack someone physically or emotionally“The mugger assaulted the woman”“Nightmares assailed him regularly”
- intense adverse criticism“Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party”“the government has come under attack”
- 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”
- the act of attacking“attacks on women increased last year”“they made an attempt on his life”
Where does attack come from?
Borrowed from French attaque, derived from the verb attaquer, from Italian attaccare (“to join, attach”) (used in attaccare battaglia (“to join battle”)), from Frankish *stakkijan (“to stick, stick to, attach”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with attack
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of attack.
Questions about saying attack
How do you pronounce attack?
Say uh-TAK. The American pronunciation is /əˈtæk/. In British English it is /əˈtæk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in attack?
Attack has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAK). Broken into parts: uh · TAK.
Do Americans and Brits say attack the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈtæk/ and the British form is /əˈtæk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.