as in trying
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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Recent Examples of attempting
The Sailors goalkeeper had just received a pass from a teammate and was attempting to control the ball.
—
Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Leslie scored twice for Ottawa, and Gwyneth Phillips made 21 saves, including one as Jill Saulnier was attempting to score in the third period.
—CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
Tips and overtime The main push Friday by Republicans was attempting to cut income taxes on tips and overtime.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2026
The game got chaotic in the final minutes as several pitch invaders ran onto the field attempting to reach Messi.
—Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2026
By rejecting such figures, ISIS was attempting something akin to the Protestant Reformation for Islam, in which the religion would be open to anyone who chose to believe, direct and unmediated.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Better to let drama settle a bit before attempting a fix.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
Technically, fertilization for bloom size and attempting to change the bloom color of certain hydrangea varieties, including Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata, are two separate issues.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
In the film Taylor plays Inez, recently released from jail in New York City and attempting to reconnect with her son who has been in the foster system.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Leslie scored twice for Ottawa, and Gwyneth Phillips made 21 saves, including one as Jill Saulnier was attempting to score in the third period.
—CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
Tips and overtime The main push Friday by Republicans was attempting to cut income taxes on tips and overtime.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2026
The game got chaotic in the final minutes as several pitch invaders ran onto the field attempting to reach Messi.
—Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2026
By rejecting such figures, ISIS was attempting something akin to the Protestant Reformation for Islam, in which the religion would be open to anyone who chose to believe, direct and unmediated.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Better to let drama settle a bit before attempting a fix.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
Technically, fertilization for bloom size and attempting to change the bloom color of certain hydrangea varieties, including Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata, are two separate issues.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
In the film Taylor plays Inez, recently released from jail in New York City and attempting to reconnect with her son who has been in the foster system.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempting
Verb
-
Israel also pressed on with near-daily strikes, primarily in southern Lebanon, saying that Hezbollah has been trying to rebuild its positions there, killing nearly 400 people while the ceasefire was in place.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Senate progressives are trying to keep it simple.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Highlanders are joined by 10 other Orlando area teams striving to advance to the FHSAA state tournament, which moves to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville this year.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Baldacci Family Vineyards was founded by Brenda and Thomas Baldacci in 1998 and today their son Michael continues the legacy of fine winemaking, striving to craft bottles that reflect the distinct terroir in which they are grown while maintaining strict sustainability standards.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attempting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempting. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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