noun

• 1A person or animal that attacks someone or something.

  ‘her attacker then ran off’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Police admit that her killer may be a serial attacker who has struck at least six times.’
  • ‘In conventional jails, vicious murderers and sex attackers have little incentive to behave well or change.’
  • ‘In January the authorities charged the two alleged attackers with murder and arson.’
  • ‘Waving a large metal bar one of the attackers threatened staff before striking one across the head.’
  • ‘Despite an intensive police search, neither the attacker nor his two assailants were found.’
  • ‘He is convinced the attacker will strike again and he warns the next time it could be even more serious.’
  • ‘As soon as engineers repair the speed traps, the mystery attacker strikes again.’
  • ‘She managed to fight off the attacker during the assault in February last year.’
  • ‘A sex attacker who struck in an alleyway in daylight was today being hunted by police.’
  • ‘Police believe the youths did not know their attackers and were the victims of an unprovoked assault.’
  • ‘The other attacker, only 16 at the time of the assault, has been released more recently.’
  • ‘The victim of a vicious nightclub assault has appealed for witnesses to help police catch his attacker.’
  • ‘Police are still unsure if he was murdered by a gang or a lone attacker.’
  • ‘Their attacker pleaded guilty to wounding and assault at Manchester Crown Court.’
  • ‘She struggled with her attacker but was thrown to the ground and the mugger ran off with her handbag.’
  • ‘College bosses have pointed out the attackers were not students and the incident happened off-campus.’
  • ‘When he stopped to check whether his vehicle had been damaged, the attackers overpowered him.’
  • ‘The attackers were apparently disturbed when a neighbour's dog started barking.’
  • ‘Not one of those attackers has been convicted or punished for these crimes.’
  • ‘One of her co-workers was badly injured and another was killed, as was one of the attackers.’
  • ‘He elbowed the man in the face as he was struck in the side by one of the previous attackers.’

  Synonyms

  assailant, assaulter, aggressor, striker

  View synonyms

• 2(in sport) a player whose task is to attack the other side's goal in the attempt to score; a forward.

  ‘the team gave the visiting attackers and midfield men a hard time’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The attacker has just scored a goal for his team that wins them the FA Cup in the final minutes of the game.’
  • ‘He is a defender, he is a midfielder but he is also an attacker - a winger who makes and scores goals.’
  • ‘They have strength throughout the squad from goalkeeper to attackers.’
  • ‘Their attackers would grace any side in the world, but they will miss Stam's aggression.’
  • ‘The number of times he raced from his goal to narrow an attacker's shot was exceptional.’
  • ‘It is no fluke both teams at the World Cup final know how to make an attacker of a defender.’
  • ‘They are a compact, workmanlike side and have two attackers blessed with skill and tremendous pace.’
  • ‘That night he simply had no answer to the Portuguese side's fleet-footed attackers.’
  • ‘He showed authority in possession and got forward to help the attackers when the chance arose.’
  • ‘The Yarnbury backs defended well and continued to hold the attackers at bay.’
  • ‘Other chances in the opening half came from a series of crosses but none of the attackers got a clean contact.’
  • ‘He possesses great strength and speed and attackers find it very difficult to pass him.’
  • ‘He is quicker than most of the attackers he marks and pace is essential in modern day football.’
  • ‘Maybe attacker is not the right word to describe Totti, he is an out-and-out goalscorer, a pure striker.’
  • ‘A corner on the left was only half cleared and as the Kirkby attacker advanced into the box he was tripped.’
  • ‘He raced outside his area to challenge Lee Reilly and was sent off after the home attacker was left on the turf.’
  • ‘He seems to be improving week by week and would be the key attacker in my team.’
  • ‘The attackers had looked offside but the try stood and the conversion levelled matters.’
  • ‘At junior school she always wore jeans and was a nifty attacker in the netball team.’
  • ‘Eire Og also had one of their attackers sidelined five minutes from the break.’