2 syllables: at, tacks. Stress on tacks.
uh-TAKS
/əˈtæks/
attacks is pronounced uh-TAKS (/əˈtæks/). It has two syllables (at-tacks), with the stress on "tacks". 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.
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.
- 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.’
"The army launches coordinated attacks at dawn."
"Cyber defenses must anticipate daily attacks from hackers."
"The defender faced repeated attacks after losing the ball."
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.
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- 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 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.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "attacks" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "attacks"
-cks sounds
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