Usage Note
Attentat specifically means a violent attack aimed at killing or destroying, especially a terrorist attack or assassination attempt — un attentat terroriste (a terrorist attack) or un attentat à la bombe (a bombing). It is stronger and more specific than attaque. The final t is silent. The verb form is attenter à (to make an attempt on).
Examples
"Un attentat a eu lieu en plein centre-ville."
Natural Translation
An attack took place right in the city centre.
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