attempted

adjective

at·​tempt·​ed ə-ˈtem(p)-təd 

: having been tried without success

an attempted suicide

an attempted takeover

especially, law : characterized by an intent to commit and effort taken to commit a specified crime that fails or is prevented

an attempted robbery

was charged with attempted murder

Examples of attempted in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The apparent assassination plot is just the latest in a series of attempted or successful attacks on Ukrainian figures. —Maria Varenikova, New York Times, 7 May 2024

Johnson spent two decades in prison herself for attempted possession with intent to distribute before Trump commuted her life sentence in 2018 and pardoned her in 2020. —Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 21 Jan. 2025

Abreu then took a plea deal and was sentenced to four years in the Texas Department of Corrections for attempted possession of a firearm by a felon. —Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 7 Jan. 2025

Rittenhouse was later found not guilty on five counts, including intentional, reckless and attempted homicide. —Hope Karnopp, Austin American-Statesman, 26 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1513, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for attempted

• exempted
• preempted
• empted
• tempted

Legal Definition

attempted

adjective

at·​tempt·​ed

: characterized by an intent to commit and effort taken to commit a specified crime that fails or is prevented

attempted forgery