attempt
verb (used with object)
to make an effort at; try; undertake; seek.
had been attempting
-
past perfect progressiveof attempt.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
I had been attempting to make Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe for a chocolate-raspberry layer cake — my first attempt at baking a cake, period.
From Salon ● Jun. 14, 2026
He landed his opening quadruple flip jump but singled his second quadruple axel, which he had been attempting to become the first skater to land at an Olympics.
From Barron's ● Feb. 13, 2026
Taylor had been attempting to contact Einstein for some time before she traveled unannounced to Princeton University, where he was working.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2024
Carroll spent the ensuing timeout protesting that he had been attempting to call a timeout and wondering if there shouldn’t have been a pause for Seattle to try to substitute.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 7, 2024
The selective breeding of the strongest, smartest, “fittest” humans—unnatural selection—Galton imagined, could achieve over just a few decades what nature had been attempting for eons.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
