atacar

Senses

1. 1.

   to attack

   to assault or strike at someone or something with force or violence

2. 2.

   to criticize

   to speak harshly against or find fault with someone or their actions

3. 3.

   to strike; to affect

   to suddenly act upon or impact (disease, emotion, etc.)

4. 4.

   to fasten; to attach

   to join or secure one thing to another (less common usage)

Examples

• "O exército atacou o inimigo à noite."

  The army attacked the enemy at night.

• "A mídia atacou duramente o político por sua corrupção."

  The media harshly criticized the politician for his corruption.

• "Um vírus atacou o computador da empresa."

  A virus struck the company's computer.

Usage

Atacar is a common and versatile verb in Brazilian Portuguese. In sports and military contexts, it means "to attack"; in journalism and everyday speech, it often means "to criticize" or "to attack verbally." The sense "to strike" or "to seize" (as with illness or emotion) is also idiomatic and frequently used.