der Angriff
attack
A violent, hostile action against someone or something, especially in a military context.
EXAMPLE
Der Angriff auf die Stadt begann im Morgengrauen.
The attack on the city began at dawn.
der Angriff
attack
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
der Angriff
attack
The action of a team in sports aimed at scoring a goal or points; also the group of offensive players as a whole.
EXAMPLE
Der schnelle Angriff der Heimmannschaft führte zum 1:0.
The home team's quick attack led to a 1-0 lead.
der Angriff
attack
Sharp verbal or written criticism aimed at harming or discrediting someone or something.
EXAMPLE
Sein Artikel war ein direkter Angriff auf die Regierung.
His article was a direct attack on the government.
der Angriff
attack
A sudden, severe bout of an illness or strong emotion.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Schock erlitt er einen schweren Asthma-Angriff.
After the shock, he suffered a severe asthma attack.
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Angriff' (the attack) is the noun for the verb 'angreifen' (to attack). The basic meaning of 'greifen' (to grab) and the prefix 'an-' (towards) is still recognizable in the idea of an attack.
EXAMPLE
Die Wölfe greifen das verletzte Tier an.
The wolves attack the injured animal.
Correct preposition
The target of an attack is almost always expressed with the preposition 'auf' and the accusative. This structure applies to military, sports, and verbal attacks.
EXAMPLE
Die Hacker planten einen Angriff auf die Server der Bank.
The hackers planned an attack on the bank's servers.
Fixed expression
There is a well-known saying: 'Angriff ist die beste Verteidigung' (attack is the best defense). It means that in a conflict situation, it is best to become active yourself instead of only reacting.
EXAMPLE
Anstatt zu warten, ging er zum Chef und sagte seine Meinung – Angriff ist die beste Verteidigung.
Instead of waiting, he went to the boss and said what he thought — attack is the best defense.
Typical adjectives
A verbal or written attack is often described more precisely with adjectives like 'persönlich' (personal), 'scharf' (sharp/harsh), 'verbal' (verbal), or 'direkt' (direct).
EXAMPLE
Das war ein unnötig scharfer Angriff auf seine Arbeit.
That was an unnecessarily harsh attack on his work.
Medical context
In a medical context, 'Angriff' (attack) describes a sudden bout of an illness. It is often combined with the name of the illness, as in 'Asthma-Angriff' (asthma attack) or 'Panik-Angriff' (panic attack).
EXAMPLE
Bei einem Panik-Angriff kann die Atmung sehr schnell werden.
During a panic attack, breathing can become very fast.
Compare with
KritikSturmAnschlagOffensiveÜberfallKörperverletzungAttackeInvasionÜbergriffAggressionAnfallGewalttatAnsturmAnfeindungOffense
Angriff vs Kritik
criticism / review
Kritik identifies errors or weaknesses and can be intended objectively. In this context, an Angriff is especially sharp criticism intended to harm or discredit someone or something. Kritik is appropriate for a justified objection; use Angriff for a deliberately harmful statement.
Angriff
Der Angriff der Journalistin soll den Verfasser des neuen Plans öffentlich diskreditieren.
The journalist’s attack is intended to publicly discredit the author of the new plan.
Kritik
Die Kritik der Journalistin benennt sachlich drei Schwächen des neuen Plans.
The journalist’s criticism objectively points out three weaknesses in the new plan.
In real life
Loading video examples...