Phrase guide

dictionary attack

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌdɪkʃənəɹi əˈtæk/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌdɪkʃənɹi-/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌdɪkʃnəɹi-/
  • General-American: /ˌdɪkʃəˌnɛɹi əˈtæk/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æk

1

noun

Meaning 1

An attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words (from a dictionary) to try to guess decryption keys or passwords.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, cryptography, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • Experts warn against using ordinary words as passwords as they are vulnerable to dictionary attacks.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cyberattack

History

Etymology

From dictionary + attack.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: هجوم المعجم — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Catalan: atac de diccionari — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Chinese Mandarin: 字典攻擊 /字典攻击 (zìdiǎn gōngjī) — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Czech: slovníkový útok — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Danish: ordbogsangreb — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Dutch: woordenboekaanval — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Finnish: sanakirjahyökkäys — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • French: attaque par dictionnaire — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • German: Wörterbuchangriff — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Italian: attacco a dizionario — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Japanese: 辞書攻撃 (jisho kōgeki) — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Korean: 사전 공격 (sajeon gonggyeok) — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Lombard: attacch a dizionari — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Malayalam: നിഘണ്ടു ആക്രമണം (nighaṇṭu ākramaṇaṁ) — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Mongolian: толь бичгийн халдлага (tolʹ bičgiin xaldlaga) — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ordbokangrep — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Persian: حمله لغتنامهای — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Polish: atak słownikowy — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Portuguese: ataque de dicionário — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Punjabi: ਡਿਕਸ਼ਨਰੀ ਅਟੈਕ (ḍikśanarī aṭaik) — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Russian: перебо́р по словарю́ (perebór po slovarjú) — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Spanish: ataque de diccionario — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Swedish: ordboksattack — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Thai: การโจมตีด้วยคําจากพจนานุกรม — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Ukrainian: перебі́р за словнико́м (perebír za slovnykóm) — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords
  • Vietnamese: tấn công từ điển — attempt to illegally access a computer network, website, etc., that uses a list of words to try and guess decryption keys or passwords