Attacks is the third-person singular present-tense verb or plural noun form of attack. It means to launch an offensive or aggressive action, or a series of such actions. In usage, it often appears in military, sports, or cyber contexts, describing assertive incursions or rapid, repeated efforts directed at a target.
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- You may naturally vowel-reduce the /æ/ toward a schwa in rapid speech; counter by sustaining a crisp /æ/ through the stressed syllable. - Some learners connect the /t/ and /æ/ into a blended sound, producing something like a-DACKS; separate the /t/ release from the /æ/ to ensure two distinct articulations. - Final /ks/ can be blurred as /k/ or /s/; practice /k/ + /s/ with a short pause or strong release. - In connected speech, avoid adding extra vowel sounds before the final /s/. - Pay attention to word stress in compounds or phrases; if 'attacks' is at the end of a longer phrase, ensure the primary stress remains on the second syllable when the noun is plural or verb, e.g., ‘they AT-tacks,’ not ‘they at-TACKs.’
- US: Clear /ɪ/ or /æ/ before /k/; stress falls on the second syllable. Intonation tends to be flat in neutral statements; in contrast, questions or emphatic phrases can heighten final syllables. Use IPA as /əˈtæks/. - UK: Often crisper /t/, with slightly less vowel reduction; maintain clear /æ/ before /k/. Pronounce final /s/ crisply; in some regions you may hear a light assimilation to /z/ in fast speech, though standard is /s/. - AU: Similar to US/UK but with broader vowel quality; you might hear a slightly more open /æ/ and a less aspirated /t/ in casual speech. IPA: /əˈtæks/. - Across all, emphasize the consonant cluster /ks/ and avoid turning it into /kz/.
"The army launches coordinated attacks at dawn."
"Cyber defenses must anticipate daily attacks from hackers."
"The defender faced repeated attacks after losing the ball."
"The coach warned that the rival team would escalate their attacks in the second half."
The verb attack comes from the Old French ataquer, from the Latin ad- ‘to’ + tactus ‘touch, contact’ (from tangere ‘to touch’). The English form appeared in the 14th century, originally meaning to set upon or assault. The noun form parallelly emerged, signifying an assault or offensive action. Over time, both senses broadened to include figurative uses (attacks on arguments, criticisms) and specialized domains (military, sports, cybersecurity). The second-syllable stress remains stable in most dialects as /əˈtæks/ for the noun and /əˈtæks/ or /əˈtæksɪz/ for plural nouns in some contexts; the verb maintains a primary stress pattern on the second syllable in multi-syllable phrases when applicable. First known uses appear in Middle English texts, with clear attestations in legal and military diction by the 14th century, carrying the core idea of advancing against an opponent or target.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "attacks" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "attacks" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "attacks"
-cks sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as ə-TACKS with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: /əˈtæks/. For plural noun or third-person singular verb, the pronunciation remains /əˈtæks/. Your mouth opens with a short schwa then a stressed æ as in cat, followed by the final /ks/ cluster. Keep the /t/ crisp and avoid flapping in careful speech; in rapid American English, the /t/ can become a light tap in some dialects, but in careful speech it’s a clear /t/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress—saying a-TACKS or a-tacks with reduced emphasis on the second syllable—and merging the /t/ with the following /æ/ into a slurred sound. Some speakers also voice the final /ks/ as /gz/ or /kz/. Correct by practicing a firm /t/ release before /æ/, and ensure the /ks/ is a crisp /k/ plus /s/ without vowel intrusion.
In General US English, the word is /əˈtæks/ with a clear, unreleased final /s/. UK accents typically mirror /əˈtæks/ but may show slightly crisper /t/ and less vowel reduction in rapid speech; some Northern varieties insert a tiny vowel after /t/ before /æ/. Australian English is similar but can exhibit a slightly broader vowel in /æ/ and a less aspirated /t/ in rapid speech. Across accents, rhoticity is not a major factor here since the word ends with /s/.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /tæks/ at the end and the transition from a weak vowel to a strong stressed syllable. The /t/ must be released crisply, and the /ks/ cluster should not dilute the preceding /æ/. For non-native speakers, coarticulation with preceding vowels can blur the /æ/; focus on a sharp /t/ release and a clear, voiceless /s/ at the end.IPA cues help: /əˈtæks/, practice with minimal pairs like task, tax to reinforce final cluster timing.
Is the plural noun 'attacks' ever pronounced with a nasal insert or elision? Not in standard speech. The pronunciation remains /əˈtæks/ with a clear /t/ release and /s/ final. Some rapid speech variants may exhibit a softened /t/ or a flap in casual American speech, but this is not standard; maintain a precise /t/ and /s/ to preserve intelligibility in both technical and everyday contexts.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "attacks"!
- Shadowing: Listen to a sentence containing ‘attacks’ and repeat in real time, maintaining the stressed /æ/ and final /ks/. - Minimal pairs: compare attacks /əˈtæks/ with act /ækt/ (note vowel differences) and tax /tæks/ to anchor final cluster timing. - Rhythm practice: practice the word in 4-beat foot patterns: weak-STRONG-weak, ensuring the second syllable carries peak energy. - Intonation patterns: practice rising intonation on questions containing ‘attacks’ to feel how emphasis shifts. - Stress practice: practice placing primary stress on the second syllable in a sentence like ‘They will ATTACKS the defense’ and on the word itself when used as a subject. - Recording: record your pronunciation, compare with native samples, adjust t-release and s-voicing as needed.
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