1
as in try
an effort to do or accomplish something
it took several attempts before we made good ice cream with an old-fashioned hand-cranked ice cream freezer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
several attempts on the life of the country's chief drug enforcement official
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to try
to make an effort to do
after attempting—and failing—to start the lawn mower on my own, I finally succeeded with a neighbor's help don't even attempt walking on your broken foot
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attempt
Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Nate Bargatze is ready to go hard core on Emmy Sunday in an attempt to keep winners’ speeches to 45 seconds or less.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 4 Sep. 2025
The mother of four allegedly confessed to purposely drowning her 4-year-old son Vincen Miller and attempting to drown her three older children — a 15-year-old girl and 18-year-old twin boys — after speaking with God.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attempt
Noun
While Qatar has not closed the door on mediating peace in Gaza, the talks are at best in limbo, at worst lying in the embers of Israel’s most recent assassination attempt.
—Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Nate Bargatze is ready to go hard core on Emmy Sunday in an attempt to keep winners’ speeches to 45 seconds or less.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
In the hacking campaigns Proofpoint analyzed, cybercriminals attempted to trick users into downloading and installing Stealerium as an attachment or a web link, luring victims with typical bait like a fake payment or invoice.
—Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 4 Sep. 2025
The mother of four allegedly confessed to purposely drowning her 4-year-old son Vincen Miller and attempting to drown her three older children — a 15-year-old girl and 18-year-old twin boys — after speaking with God.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempt
Noun
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Follow the directions and you, too, will have smooth, shiny hair on the first try.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
4 Sep. 2025
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Give the easy outfit formula a try in wallet-friendly pieces by the Gap including its Denim Moto Jacket ($98) and High Rise Relaxed Flare Jeans ($90).—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Bin Laden, through the al-Qaida terrorist organization, targeted the United States for nearly a decade before the 9/11 attacks in 2001, utilizing this large and expansive infrastructure.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
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Polish officials said 19 objects entered its airspace during a large Russian air attack on Ukraine.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Now retired, Andra loved her job working for the federal government and strives to make a difference in the world around her.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
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Businesses are striving to do more with less, cutting entry-level roles and striving for AI automation to save on headcount costs.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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All had suffered multiple stab wounds.—
Tresa Baldas,
Freep.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Flock’s first stab at that mission will be in customers’ hands come August.—
Thomas Brewster,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In California’s strawberry fields, an ICE raid sparked widespread panic and disruption among farmworker communities.—
David Rodriguez Muñoz,
Freep.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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South Korean workers detained during a massive immigration raid in Georgia Thursday will be returned to South Korea on a chartered flight following negotiations, an official announced Sunday.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 142 drones into the country overnight into Monday morning, of which around 100 were Shahed strike drones and the rest decoy craft.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
8 Sep. 2025
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Not a strike of lightning from Heaven, but rather the perfect alignment of multiple moons, stars and galaxies.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Investigators later confirmed his DNA matched evidence from that case and others, including attacks in Okemos, Michigan, in 1994; Birmingham, Michigan, in 1995; and Columbus, Ohio, in 1997, as well as two assaults in Ventura in the early 1980s.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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Though Smith was charged with four counts of assault for scaring and endangering the villagers, troopers did not say he was involved in his mother’s death.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For more than three years, Ukrainian soldiers, conscripts and ordinary civilians have given their lives to defend their country’s borders, and Vasyanovych is speaking to Variety just days before the latest onslaught of Russian missiles on Kyiv.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
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The component responsible for this, the divertor, must withstand this incredible onslaught, making its design a critical engineering challenge for the viability of fusion power.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempt. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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