# attacker

/əˈtækɝ/ (US) · /ɐtˈækɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/attacker
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a person who assaults

noun · CEFR B1

a person who tries to hurt someone else using physical force or a weapon.

For teachers: an individual who initiates a physical assault or violent action against another person or entity.

- The victim managed to describe the attacker to the police after the robbery.
- Witnesses reported that the attacker fled the scene on foot before emergency services could arrive to assist the injured party.

### 2. a sports player

noun · CEFR B1

a player in a game like football whose main job is to move forward and score goals.

For teachers: an offensive player in a team sport, such as football or hockey, primarily responsible for scoring or creating scoring opportunities.

- The team's star attacker scored two goals in the final ten minutes of the game.
- The coach decided to substitute a defender for a third attacker in a desperate attempt to equalise during the final minutes of the match.

## Examples

- The victim was able to describe the attacker to the police.
- Security software blocked the remote attacker before they could access any sensitive company files.
- Witnesses reported that the attacker fled the scene immediately after the confrontation, leaving behind several items that forensic teams later used for identification.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.