attempt
Americanverb (used with object)
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attempts,
present (3rd person singular)
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attempted,
past participle, past
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attempting
present participle
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to make an effort at; try; undertake; seek.
to attempt an impossible task; to attempt to walk six miles.
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Archaic. to attack; move against in a hostile manner.
to attempt a person's life.
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Archaic. to tempt.
verb
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to make an effort (to do something) or to achieve (something); try
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to try to surmount (an obstacle)
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to try to climb
they will attempt the north wall of the Eiger
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archaic to attack
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archaic to tempt
noun
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an endeavour to achieve something; effort
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a result of an attempt or endeavour
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an attack, esp with the intention to kill
an attempt on his life
Usage
What does attempt mean? An attempt is an effort made to complete a task, as in My attempt to go to the concert failed when my car broke down. To attempt means to try to complete a task, as in When Riddhi attempted to run to better her health, she found that she really enjoyed it too. When you attempt something, you are making some kind of effort, whether or not you succeed. To attempt is to try. Example: Louise attempted to make bread, but she forgot to add yeast to the recipe.
Synonym Usage
See try.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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attemptabilitynoun
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attempternoun
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quasi-attemptverb
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reattemptverb (used with object)
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attemptableadjective
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unattemptableadjective
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unattemptedadjective
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unattemptingadjective
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well-attemptedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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attemptsimple
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attemptssimple
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have attemptedperfect
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has attemptedperfect
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am attemptingprogressive
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are attemptingprogressive
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is attemptingprogressive
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have been attemptingperfect progressive
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has been attemptingperfect progressive
Past
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attemptedsimple
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had attemptedperfect
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was attemptingprogressive
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were attemptingprogressive
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had been attemptingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of attempt
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English from Anglo-French atempter from Latin attemptāre “to test, tamper with.” See at-, tempt
Explanation
To attempt is to make an effort. You may attempt to read a book, but if you fail, no harm. If you attempt to jump from one building to the next and fail . . . . Ouch. The word attempt can also be used as a noun. It's an honest effort to do something. Your attempt to bake a birthday cake may look like a disaster, but the birthday boy will appreciate the effort anyway. The noun attempt can also mean an attack on a person or place, but in this case, it's best to hope that the attempt is not on your life. And never, ever attempt that sort of thing at home!
Vocabulary lists containing attempt
"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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American Football, 1st Quarter
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Nothing But the Truth
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Her comments led to a huge outrage and Twisha's father said it was an attempt to tarnish his daughter's name.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Instead, she stands up, pops her dislocated shoulder back into its socket and grimly declares to the shocked classmate filming her, “This is Claire Bennet, and that was attempt No. 6.”
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026
Recognizing that China isn’t a monolith, Deng Xiaoping’s “Reform and Opening Up” didn’t attempt to transform China’s entire economy at once.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
The legacy of Hayden Panettiere should not be defined by her tragic death at 36, but by her brave attempt to help millions of women.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
But his paws groped at the open air, the wispy silhouette unaffected by his futile attempt.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
And after failed attempts from managers to mould the team into a slower, more measured, possession-heavy side, Carrick is aiming to create a style and system that mirrors United's traditions.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
There have been recent attempts to offer students cheaper alternatives to the TI-84.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
Qatar also invited Iranian officials to visit and be briefed on the details of the search and rescue attempts, but Iran didn’t respond to the invitation, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
He develops a reputation for aggression, seemingly fighting a war against everyone on the asphalt that spins out when he attempts to bully a cosmopolitan French driver into submission.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
The gwythaint even allowed Eilonwy to feed it, but the bard’s attempts to make friends failed.
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
A veteran lawmaker who served 12 years in Congress, Bass has attempted to torpedo Raman’s image as a foe of the status quo, pointing out she’s been on the council for nearly six years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
The unprecedented $30 million dollar mission attempted to send a robot to grab the telescope and move it farther into orbit.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
In 2017, Jeanie fired her older brother Jim as president of basketball operations, and her siblings responded with an attempted power-grab that Streisand described as a “coup.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
It’s hard to find any modern examples of the corporate death penalty, but that doesn’t mean critics of abusive business haven’t attempted to invoke it.
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026
Although she knew her Flash was not to be altered at all, she attempted just that.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Ricky Bobby spends the rest of his life attempting to follow in his father’s tire tracks, working his way up to be in the big show but not a star.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
They unsurprisingly struggled without significant contributions from their Australian superstars - Phoebe Litchfield was caught attempting a ramp off Charley Phillips for 10 and Annabel Sutherland was stumped off Georgia Adams for 25.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The BBC spoke to several content creators who all denied being motivated by social media views, clicks or revenue, and insisted they were supporting conservation or attempting to change public perceptions of sharks.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
The 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act Muehl admitted to violating prohibits hunting, harassing, capturing, or killing any marine mammal in U.S. waters, or attempting to do so.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Anya took a deep breath, attempting to steady her panicking heart.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
