attempt

[ uh-tempt ]

/ əˈtɛmpt /

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See synonyms for: attempt / attempted / attempting / attempts on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to make an effort at; try; undertake; seek: to attempt an impossible task; to attempt to walk six miles.

Archaic. to attack; move against in a hostile manner: to attempt a person's life.

Archaic. to tempt.

noun

an effort made to accomplish something: He made an attempt to swim across the lake.

an attack or assault: an attempt upon the leader's life.

OTHER WORDS FOR attempt

4 try, endeavor.

See synonyms for attempt on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of attempt

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English from Anglo-French atempter from Latin attemptāre “to test, tamper with.” See at-, tempt

synonym study for attempt

1. See try.

OTHER WORDS FROM attempt

at·tempt·a·bil·i·ty, nounat·tempt·a·ble, adjectiveat·tempt·er, nounqua·si-at·tempt, verb

re·at·tempt, verb (used with object)un·at·tempt·a·ble, adjectiveun·at·tempt·ed, adjectiveun·at·tempt·ing, adjectivewell-at·tempt·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use attempt in a sentence

After multiple attempts to reach city officials and urge them not to delete the records we sought, Ivey said she was working on the request.
North County Report: Why We’re Suing Solana Beach|Kayla Jimenez|August 19, 2020|Voice of San Diego
After VOSD’s story published, the city attorney’s office went back through its records and found past discussions about an attempt to repeal that section of the municipal code.
SDPD Says it Will Stop Enforcing Seditious Language Law|Kate Nucci|August 17, 2020|Voice of San Diego
County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar is running against Ikhrata and SANDAG in general, and their attempts to deprioritize highway spending in favor of transit specifically.
Politics Report: Who Will Get the Midway Rose?|Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts|August 15, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Likewise, since every person’s ballot has a unique bar code, the system catches any attempt to vote twice by requesting additional ballots.
GOP Chair Who Called Mail Voting ‘Fraught With Danger’ Voted by Mail 22 Straight Times|Andrew Keatts|August 10, 2020|Voice of San Diego

Another hour into his attempt to get a test, Price realized that he just couldn’t wait any longer.
Which Cities Have The Biggest Racial Gaps In COVID-19 Testing Access?|Soo Rin Kim|July 22, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
It was the year that Kim Kardashian attempted to break the Internet with hers.
Year of the Butt: How the Booty Changed the World in 2014|Kevin Fallon|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The risk to his life was great enough that he had to flee Munich when Hitler attempted to seize power in November 1923.
The Catholic Philosopher Who Took on Hitler|John Henry Crosby|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After he allegedly unloaded on the cops, Brinsley attempted to make a getaway to a nearby subway.
Alleged Cop Killer Ismaaiyl Brinsley Had a Death Wish|M.L. Nestel|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As a cafe in Sydney, Australia came under siege by a hostage-taking gunman on Monday, those nearby attempted to flee the area.
In Defense of Uber’s Awful Sydney Surge Pricing|Olivia Nuzzi|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That statistic is based on a survey that includes attempted forced kissing as sexual assault.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec. 7|PunditFact.com|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some of the alarm returned, however, when the creature attempted to climb up by his own ladder.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
It was one day when a student from the Stuttgardt conservatory attempted to play the Sonata Appassionata.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
One little girl attempted to smell at the trees in a drawing and pretended to feed some pictorial dogs.
Children's Ways|James Sully
Joseph, with his liberal ideas, had attempted to free the people from clerical thraldom.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
None the less it is the most nearly true of all the broad generalizations that can be attempted in regard to mankind.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock

British Dictionary definitions for attempt

attempt

/ (əˈtɛmpt) /

verb (tr)

to make an effort (to do something) or to achieve (something); try

to try to surmount (an obstacle)

to try to climbthey will attempt the north wall of the Eiger

archaic to attack

archaic to tempt

noun

an endeavour to achieve something; effort

a result of an attempt or endeavour

an attack, esp with the intention to killan attempt on his life

Derived forms of attempt

attemptable, adjectiveattempter, noun

Word Origin for attempt

C14: from Old French attempter, from Latin attemptāre to strive after, from tentāre to try

usage for attempt

Attempt should not be used in the passive when followed by an infinitive: attempts were made to find a solution (not a solution was attempted to be found)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

attempt

OTHER WORDS FOR attempt

Origin of attempt

synonym study for attempt

OTHER WORDS FROM attempt

Words related to attempt

How to use attempt in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for attempt

Derived forms of attempt

Word Origin for attempt

usage for attempt