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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of attempting
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
Outreach workers will give people living in encampments a week’s notice, then conduct daily outreach every day that week, attempting to get the homeless people into shelters or more permanent housing solutions, the mayor said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
As if attempting to display all this tumult on the slopes, the forty-one-year-old skier Lindsey Vonn crashed violently after her pole hooked a gate during the women’s downhill race.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
Carson Tinney threw out a runner attempting to steal second base for the second time in as many innings.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
After his pregame news conference, Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue left no doubt as to what his team is attempting to do the rest of the season.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
The grainy video shows a man in a ski mask approaching Guthrie’s front door and attempting to cover her doorbell camera with a gloved hand.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Nick Goepper just barely missed the podium, coming in fourth after a devastating crash in his final run, where the American freestyle skier took a massive fall while attempting a trick that has never been landed on the halfpipe.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Before attempting any removal, be sure to unplug the machine for maximum safety.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 20 Feb. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Outreach workers will give people living in encampments a week’s notice, then conduct daily outreach every day that week, attempting to get the homeless people into shelters or more permanent housing solutions, the mayor said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
As if attempting to display all this tumult on the slopes, the forty-one-year-old skier Lindsey Vonn crashed violently after her pole hooked a gate during the women’s downhill race.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
Carson Tinney threw out a runner attempting to steal second base for the second time in as many innings.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
After his pregame news conference, Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue left no doubt as to what his team is attempting to do the rest of the season.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
The grainy video shows a man in a ski mask approaching Guthrie’s front door and attempting to cover her doorbell camera with a gloved hand.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Nick Goepper just barely missed the podium, coming in fourth after a devastating crash in his final run, where the American freestyle skier took a massive fall while attempting a trick that has never been landed on the halfpipe.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Before attempting any removal, be sure to unplug the machine for maximum safety.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempting
Verb
-
Ryan struck out Nolan Arenado and walked a batter but escaped the inning when Dalton Rushing threw the runner out trying to steal second base.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Wearing a pom pom hat and mittens and shovel in hand, a smiling Michelle Wu is trying to convince residents that the massive snow mounds plaguing city streets are not a bad thing, but a joyful experience.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Japan has been striving to develop stem-cell therapies, with Kyoto University’s CiRA, which runs a clinical-grade iPS cell bank, providing researchers access to prepared cells that can be used in trials for a range of conditions.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Solomon has spent years striving to fill that knowledge gap, making his book both timely and important.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attempting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempting. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
