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
Ricardo Brito, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Both squads are attempting to bounce back from Week 1 disappointment.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 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
The verdict marks the first time since Brazil became a republic almost 140 years ago that military officials have been punished for attempting to overthrow democracy.
—Ricardo Brito, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Both squads are attempting to bounce back from Week 1 disappointment.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempt
Noun
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How To Play Wordle Wordle is a daily word puzzle game where your goal is to guess a hidden five-letter word in six tries or fewer.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The Lancers trailed 24-0 at halftime and rallied in the second half before being turned away on a fourth down try at the Basha 14-yard line with 17 seconds left in the game.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Polish officials said 19 objects entered its airspace during a large Russian air attack on Ukraine.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Chronic striving has its downsides, though.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
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When multiple businesses strive to outdo each other, the result is better products, improved services and more choices for consumers.—
Levi King,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Frank Olton was discovered bound to a pole in the basement with multiple stab wounds after being doused with a flammable liquid and set on fire, police sources told the New York Post.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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Martin’s first stab at the genre can’t help but feel like a comedian’s interpretation — commenting from the outside looking in, rather than investing wholeheartedly.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Though the United States decided against deportation, images of the workers being chained and handcuffed during the raid caused widespread alarm in South Korea.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
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Following the indictment, the FBI on Wednesday conducted a raid near Augusta, Georgia, arresting leaders after years of allegations that the church operated like a cult and preyed on military communities nationwide.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Several reports and analyses in the immediate aftermath of Israel’s September 9 airstrike on Doha observed how the Israeli strike had led the Arab Gulf states to ask fundamental questions about their existing security arrangements with the United States.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
And just quickly on Qatar, the Israelis did a strike in Qatar, our ally.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Multiple rights experts and scholars say Israel's military assault on Gaza amounts to genocide.—
Jarrett Renshaw,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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This coalesces and makes sense of the barrage of assaults designed to undermine Americans’ trust in our country, our Constitution and all the principles upon which it was built.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Mad Men would be named Best Drama for a third straight year and Temple Grandin commenced what turned out to be a seemingly endless onslaught at every applicable awards show, as the TV-movie tied an Emmy record with five major wins.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
13 Sep. 2025
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Poland was not alone in defending its citizens from the Russian onslaught meant for Ukraine.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempt. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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