attempt

1 of 2

verb

at·​tempt ə-ˈtem(p)t How to pronounce attempt (audio)
attempted; attempting; attempts

transitive verb

1
: to make an effort to do, accomplish, solve, or effect
He attempted to swim the swollen river.
2
archaic : tempt
3
archaic : to try to subdue or take by force : attack
attemptable adjective

attempt

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: the act or an instance of trying to do or accomplish something : an act or instance of attempting something
She failed the test on her first attempt but passed on her second attempt.
They made an attempt [=tried] to be helpful.
often : an unsuccessful effort
a suicide attempt
b
: something resulting from or representing an attempt
… surrounded by lemon trees and a few attempts at rose bushes.Marian Engel
2
: attack, assault
an attempt on the life of the president
Choose the Right Synonym for attempt

attempt, try, endeavor, essay, strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.

attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

will attempt to photograph the rare bird

try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

tried to determine which was the better procedure

endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

will essay a dramatic role for the first time

strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

continues to strive for peace

Examples of attempt in a Sentence

Verb They've attempted a climb up Mount Everest once before. She attempted suicide early in their marriage. Noun She failed her driving test on the first attempt but she succeeded on her second attempt. Her attempt at a home-cooked meal consisted of frozen fish sticks and a can of soup.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The litigation is on pause while the ACLU and others attempt to negotiate a settlement with the administration. Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024 Jefferies, 28, is attempting a return from his second Tommy John surgery and being considered for the final spot in the rotation or a swingman role in the bullpen. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 Two people in Moscow and the surrounding region set polling booths on fire, according to Russian media, while another woman attempted to do so in the town of Kogalym, in the Khanty-Mansi region. Robyn Dixon The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 16 Mar. 2024 Then, Zani and another officer tightened a noose around his neck, and attempted to hang him, the suit claimed. Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 16 Mar. 2024 Yet, his decision to run not only across but entirely around the perimeter of the United States is a feat that very few have dared to attempt. Marcus Reichley, The Arizona Republic, 16 Mar. 2024 Putin has attempted to calm fears of another mass-mobilization order. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024 Aguilar Mendez, who does not speak English, attempted to walk away from the officer, but a struggle ensued, according to body camera video and audio of the incident obtained by ABC News. Armando Garcia, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2024 In 2022, the NCAA followed the lead of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and revised its policies on transgender athlete participation to attempt to align with national sports governing bodies. CBS News, 15 Mar. 2024
Noun
Some, like his attempt to repeal California’s emissions standards, were blocked by courts after state lawsuits. Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024 The justices are reviewing a lower-court ruling that sharply limited such interactions, and must clarify when government attempts to combat misinformation cross the line from permissible persuasion to unconstitutional coercion. Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 The seven-time World Cup winner managed to recover, though, and broke the world record with her final attempt. Ben Church, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Lakota spends nearly $30K on superintendent search fees The school board appointed the Ohio School Board Association to help during its first attempt to find a district leader last year and paid the association more than $12,000 for the job. The Enquirer, 17 Mar. 2024 On Friday, the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies and the migrant-justice law group Al Otro Lado filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco in an attempt to compel CBP to release information about its policies and practices at the camps. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 Craig Larsen, the company's CEO, did not reply to several attempts to contact him by phone and email. Michael Scaturro, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2024 There’s a theory called the Dahlgren Affair, this theory that Lincoln, possibly, Stanton, or both approved an attempt to assassinate Jefferson Davis, the Confederate President. William Earl, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024 Just last month, Putin’s foremost civilian rival, Alexei Navalny, turned up dead in the frigid Siberian prison camp to which he’d been consigned after surviving the Kremlin’s attempt to poison him. Anna Nemtsova, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'attempt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French attempter, from Latin attemptare, from ad- + temptare to touch, try — more at tempt

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of attempt was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near attempt

Cite this Entry

“Attempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attempt. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

attempt

1 of 2 verb
at·​tempt ə-ˈtem(p)t How to pronounce attempt (audio)
1
: to try to do or perform
attempt an escape
2
: to make an effort : try
attempt to solve the problem

attempt

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act or an instance of attempting
especially : an unsuccessful effort
2
: attack entry 2 sense 1
an attempt on the president's life

Legal Definition

attempt

noun
at·​tempt
: the crime of having the intent to commit and taking action in an effort to commit a crime that fails or is prevented

called also criminal attempt

see also impossibility

Note: There must generally be more than preparation to be guilty of attempt.

More from Merriam-Webster on attempt

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