terrorist attack
110
3.9
- noun
- /ˈtɛrərist əˈtæk/
- NSFW
:
atentado
- Earlier today, a terrorist attack targeted a crowded market, leaving many civilians injured.
- prevent terrorist attacks
- respond to terrorist attacks
- devastating terrorist attack
This all in reaction to this a terrorist attack in Moscow.
- This all in reaction to this a terrorist attack in Moscow.
- And we're waiting for more terrorist attacks to occur.
- It was one of the worst terrorist attacks.
- Where did you grow up And what happened on the day of the London terrorist attack?
- Then one year later, the FBI concluded, go figure that it wasn't a terrorist attack, but they had no further information, right?
- We are seeing evil Incarnate in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
- The Indian doctrine is that if we are attacked with a large scale terrorist attack, we have the right to attack Pakistan.
- And I learnt, among others, that a dozen of people lost their limbs after the marathon terrorist attack.
- I'm by no means suggesting that any Muslim that I certainly know or grown up with would condone any kind of terrorist attack.
- It is now beyond doubt that the people of Manchester and of this country have fallen victim to a callous terrorist attack.
- And the danger of that is it's similar in a way to ISIS or some of these jihadist groups have carried out terrorist attacks.
- Did you have to drive home the biggest terrorist attack on human soil?
Examples
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These people just suffered a terrorist attack.
-
On the 11th anniversary of the most devastating terrorist attack in U.S. history...
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Central Park was just hit by what seems to be a terrorist attack.
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This was a coordinated terrorist attack, sir.
-
Terrorist attacks are at their highest level ever.
-
Several planned events were postponed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Academic text (2002) -
The United States has suffered the most devastating terrorist attack in world history.
Academic text (2001) -
Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country.
-
The amnesty proposal was in turn eclipsed by the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001.
Academic text (2002) -
With nearly every recent terrorist attack, the post-blast utility of financial investigative tools has been reaffirmed.
Academic text (2008)
Synonyms
942
3.4
An attack using bombs to damage or scare people
35
7.7
An attack where a person explodes a bomb to kill themselves and others
19
7.2
Planned violent action to make people afraid for political, religious or other ideas
15
6.9
A violent act against ordinary people to frighten others for political, religious or other beliefs
5
7.8
An attack using bombs that cause fires to destroy buildings or cities
How Violent
- NSFW
110
4.3
- Offensive
198
7.0
- NSFW
110
3.9
∞
1.4
- Offensive
∞
2.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: a 'terrorist attack' is an attack carried out by terrorists, which a B1 learner who knows 'terrorist' (one who commits politically motivated violence) and 'attack' (an act of violence) can infer. This noun-noun construction maps straightforwardly across many languages and follows regular semantic composition, so the sense is immediately derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
Terrorist attack combines terrorist, from terror meaning 'fear', and attack, a sudden act of 'violence'. So, it means a violent act meant to cause 'fear' to reach 'political or religious goals'.