attempt

American  

[uh-tempt] / əˈtɛmpt /

verb (used with object)

• attempts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• attempted,
  past participle,  past
• attempting
  present participle

1. to make an effort at; try; undertake; seek.

   to attempt an impossible task; to attempt to walk six miles.

2. Archaic. to attack; move against in a hostile manner.

   to attempt a person's life.

3. Archaic. to tempt.

---

noun

• attempts
  plural

1. an effort made to accomplish something.

   He made an attempt to swim across the lake.

   Synonyms:

   endeavor, try

2. an attack or assault.

   an attempt upon the leader's life.

attempt British  

/ əˈtɛmpt /

verb

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

2. to try to surmount (an obstacle)

3. to try to climb

   they will attempt the north wall of the Eiger

4. archaic to attack

5. archaic to tempt

---

noun

1. an endeavour to achieve something; effort

2. a result of an attempt or endeavour

3. 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

• attemptability
  noun
• attempter
  noun
• quasi-attempt
  verb
• reattempt
  verb (used with object)
• attemptable
  adjective
• unattemptable
  adjective
• unattempted
  adjective
• unattempting
  adjective
• well-attempted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• attempts
  plural

Participles

• attempting
  present
• attempted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• attempt
  simple
• attempts
  simple
• have attempted
  perfect
• has attempted
  perfect
• am attempting
  progressive
• are attempting
  progressive
• is attempting
  progressive
• have been attempting
  perfect progressive
• has been attempting
  perfect progressive

Past

• attempted
  simple
• had attempted
  perfect
• was attempting
  progressive
• were attempting
  progressive
• had been attempting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will attempt
  simple
• will have attempted
  perfect
• will be attempting
  progressive
• will have been attempting
  perfect progressive

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!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

attempt attempts attempted attempting

If it did, the attempt to recreate the first film’s magic would’ve come with plenty of film stock and some colored gels to make sure every shot isn’t washed out in jaundiced yellow.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

He didn't attempt CPR or raise the alarm and went to the find the unit's night manager, Alex Obamwonyi, who was on a neighbouring ward.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

But China is wary of any US attempt to impose its own regulatory framework, according to several media outlets.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

The story brims with humor, much of it involving Ms. Korsgaard’s attempt to square her work as a budding naturalist with her life as a spouse and parent of three young sons.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

I asked in an attempt to break the silence.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Anthropic previously said it had identified and disrupted attempts to use its AI model for "malicious activity" which could support the development of biological weapons.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Wordle gives players six attempts to identify a hidden five-letter word.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026

“He did not respond to our phone calls, our PA announcements, or multiple other attempts to try to contact him.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Still others have argued that collectors are “damaged personalities who have been driven to collect in attempts to repair traumas experienced in early infancy.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

I scrubbed one hundred attempts clean with my eraser, trying to get the right distance between the fins or the right amount of muscular girth.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

Khalil, who is still fighting the government’s efforts to deport him from the U.S., said the university’s failure to keep him safe from such harassment “directly led” to his March 2025 arrest and attempted deportation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

German submarines attempted to approach British vessels unseen and destroy them.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

Geordan White, 60, of Redding was found dead after he attempted to rescue the animal who had jumped from a boat White was on, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

At their routine 12-week scan, Sophy had attempted to describe what she was seeing for Reece, but he struggled to feel involved in the moment.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Almost every day Fischer’s team attempted a new strategy.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

The decision to comply with the sanctions rather than attempting to contest them in the court could help resolve one of the biggest outstanding offseason items the Clippers face.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

Oram was among a number of employees claiming to have been sacked by the gaming giant for attempting to unionise in October last year.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Research has shown that AI models in the lab can learn power-seeking behavior and take steps to avoid being shut down, such as attempting to copy themselves to another server.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday they targeted 10 vessels that were attempting to cross this prohibited area of the Strait of Hormuz.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

Celia sits with a notebook and pen, attempting to decipher the system the book is written in.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• attack
• bid
• endeavor
• experiment
• pursuit
• shot
• struggle
• try