Attack and Open fire

Related terms

Attack verb - To take sudden, violent action against.

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Open fire and attack are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Open fire" instead a verb "Attack".

Open fire verb - Start firing a weapon.

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Attack and open fire are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Attack" instead a verb phrase "Open fire".

This can be very bad for the player as once the enemies finish their melee attack, they'll probably remember what their guns are for and open fire, dealing quadruple damage.

Source: Video Game / Soldier of Fortune
Horne orders her attack chopper to open fire on the windows, but Max simply crouches beneath a garish metal sculpture in the middle of the lounge, and the helicopter runs out of ammo.

Source: Executive Suite Fight
One of these, HMS Dunraven, was under attack by a submarine in 1917, and a fire broke out in a magazine just under a hidden gun which was standing by to open fire on the submarine if it got closer.

Source: Stiff Upper Lip

Cite this Source

Open fire and Attack. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/attack/open_fire

Attack & Open fire. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/attack/open_fire>.

Open fire or Attack. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/attack/open_fire.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "attack" and "open fire" have occurred on timeline