Attacked is the past tense verb meaning to have launched an assault or criticism against someone or something. It combines the simple verb attack with -ed, producing a syllable-timed form that, in fluent speech, often reduces to a clear, single-stressed word followed by a light, rapid -ed. It is common across formal and informal contexts, including defense, sports, and debate.
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"- The fortress was attacked at dawn, and defenders held firm."
"- She felt attacked by the journalist’s pointed questions."
"- The coach warned that if he failed to improvise, his team would be attacked on all fronts."
"- They argued that the policy attacked the core of the issue rather than addressing the symptoms."
The verb form attacked derives from Middle English attackeden, from Old French acatten (to attack, set upon), from a- (toward) + cater (to set upon) influenced by Latin ad- (toward) and captare (to seize). The modern English word attack appears in the 14th century, with -ed past tense forms standardizing in Early Modern English. The pronunciation shifted over time as the second syllable reduced in rapid speech, with the suffix -ed often pronounced as /t/ after voiceless consonants (as in attacked /əˈtækt/). The word’s sense expanded from physical assault to include verbal or rhetorical aggression, and later figurative uses like “attack on a theory.” First known uses appear in legal and military texts where a breach or assault was documented, with later abundance in journalism and literary contexts as both noun and verb. By the 17th–18th centuries, “attack” and its past tense became common in both spoken and written English, solidifying its current phonological form in contemporary usage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "attacked" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "attacked" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "attacked"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say /əˈtækt/ (uh-TAKT). Begin with a neutral schwa in the first syllable, then place primary stress on the second syllable with a clear /æ/ as in cat. The final /kt/ should be a tight, aspirated consonant cluster: open jaw for /æ/, then a strong tongue contact for /t/ and /k/ in quick succession, finishing with a light stop. In careful speech, you might hear a minute delay before the /t/ release. Audio examples: Try listening to pronunciation resources and mimic the exact mouth positions.
The two most common errors are: 1) Slurring the final /kt/ into a single soft sound, which makes it sound like /k/ or /t/ alone; ensure you release both consonants distinctly: /t/ followed immediately by /k/. 2) Over-reducing the first vowel to a too-short /ə/ or omitting the /ə/ entirely, which alters rhythm. Keep a short but present schwa before the stressed /æ/ and finish with the crisp /kt/. Practice by isolating the /ækt/ portion and adding a full vowel before it.
US: Often maintains a clearer /æ/ in the second syllable with slightly flapped or unreleased /t/ depending on speed; UK: crisp /t/ release and clearer /æ/ with non-rhoticity; AU: similar to UK, but with slightly more lenient vowel duration and a hint ofAustralian vowel quality. The primary stress remains on the second syllable across dialects. Expect subtle differences in the vowel width and resonance, but the /ˈtækt/ portion remains recognizable in all.
Because it involves a tricky consonant cluster in the final syllable (/kt/), which requires precise timing and release. The /æ/ vowel in the stressed syllable is mid-front and requires a strong jaw drop; many speakers shorten or blur the /t/ and /k/ into a single stop. Also, rapid speech may reduce the length of the first syllable, challenging listeners to hear both the schwa and the stress clearly.
Yes. The word’s primary stress falls on the second syllable, not the first, which is common for many two-syllable verbs ending in -ed. The /kt/ cluster at the end is distinctly released in slow speech and tightly compressed in rapid speech. You’ll notice a subtle final air release as the tongue quickly moves from alveolar /t/ to velar /k/ before voicing ends.
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