Attack
Attack verb - To take sudden, violent action against.
Contend with and attack are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Contend with" instead a verb "Attack".
Contend with
Contend with verb - To deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently.
Attack and contend with are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Attack" instead a verb "Contend with".
Both terms in one sentence
- In the Garfield and Friends episode "Attack of the Mutant Guppies", Garfield & Nermal contend with mutant guppies, who they defeat by tricking them into stomping each other down a sewer hole.
Source: Brick Joke / Western Animation -
The first when the party goes to attack the Floating Continent, and has to contend with the Imperial Air Force (which is explicitly given the acronym IAF which is never used again, probably because they're slaughtered about two hours later) culminating in a battle while falling against a boss.
Source: High-Altitude Battle
Cite this Source
Contend with and Attack. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/attack/contend_with
Attack & Contend with. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/attack/contend_with>.
Contend with or Attack. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/attack/contend_with.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "attack" and "contend with" have occurred on timeline