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
Muse noted that his team has the ability to dust itself off and remain positive, even amid profound adversity, such as attempting to come back from down 3-0.
—
Josh Yohe, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Iran has responded by stepping up its attacks on ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
Some situations aren’t as clear-cut, with parents attempting to meet their children’s needs, but falling short because of mental health problems or substance use.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Best Types of Soaps to Use Any soap with a strong scent will work when attempting to deter deer.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 26 Apr. 2026
The seizure is an escalation of the blockade and comes after Iran fired upon commercial vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz earlier Sunday.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2026
However, in that same May 2025 assault case, Garcia Moran pled guilty to attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer, a Class 6 felony.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
Iranian forces were also reported to have turned back vessels attempting to transit the route on Sunday.
—Gemma Fox, Time, 19 Apr. 2026
Avoid attempting to walk to safety.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Josh Yohe, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Iran has responded by stepping up its attacks on ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
Some situations aren’t as clear-cut, with parents attempting to meet their children’s needs, but falling short because of mental health problems or substance use.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Best Types of Soaps to Use Any soap with a strong scent will work when attempting to deter deer.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 26 Apr. 2026
The seizure is an escalation of the blockade and comes after Iran fired upon commercial vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz earlier Sunday.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2026
However, in that same May 2025 assault case, Garcia Moran pled guilty to attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer, a Class 6 felony.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
Iranian forces were also reported to have turned back vessels attempting to transit the route on Sunday.
—Gemma Fox, Time, 19 Apr. 2026
Avoid attempting to walk to safety.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempting
Verb
-
The Magic, meanwhile, played like a team trying to close out a series – close, competitive, but just a step behind in the details that matter most in the postseason.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The Dodgers, relative to other organizations, are aggressive in trying to improve the team, spending money on key free agents even after winning back-to-back World Series championships.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These families often manage substantial archives through private LLCs, striving to preserve and amplify the artists’ reputations without the institutional backing or capital that buoy larger foundations.—
Angelica Villa,
ARTnews.com,
1 May 2026
-
These organizations, striving to fill the information gap created by the state government’s increasing drift toward secrecy — can’t rely on taxpayers to pay their bills.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attempting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempting. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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