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
Rather than attempting to further shrink the size of transistors, for which cutting-edge lithography is required, Huawei’s new approach focuses on optimizing chip transmission speeds by reimagining the chip’s layout.
—
Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
In the final seconds before impact, investigators found Wilburn was attempting to avoid the collision but was unable to stop before the red light.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 22 June 2026
Trump has shattered diplomatic norms with explicit endorsements, fueling accusations from Mexico and Colombia that Washington is attempting to tilt foreign elections under the guise of fighting drugs.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026
Four years prior, a fan fell to their death at Dead & Company’s Citi Field concert in Queens while attempting a body flip during the show's intermission.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 June 2026
Surveillance video showed the woman attempting to run from the car on the sidewalk, but unable to avoid impact.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 21 June 2026
Some ideas are expensive by nature, and in the music video world, even achieving a strong visual quality on set already requires a medium-to-high budget, let alone attempting something narratively ambitious.
—Kevin Giraud, Variety, 21 June 2026
The man, who was driving a Kia Forte, was attempting to turn out of a gas station and onto the eastbound lanes of East Division Street.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 June 2026
As Vater says, attempting to pull weeds from hard soil that’s been baking under our Southern sun will result in a plant that’s simply snapped off as the stem, leaving the root system intact and ready to sprout again.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
In the final seconds before impact, investigators found Wilburn was attempting to avoid the collision but was unable to stop before the red light.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 22 June 2026
Trump has shattered diplomatic norms with explicit endorsements, fueling accusations from Mexico and Colombia that Washington is attempting to tilt foreign elections under the guise of fighting drugs.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026
Four years prior, a fan fell to their death at Dead & Company’s Citi Field concert in Queens while attempting a body flip during the show's intermission.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 June 2026
Surveillance video showed the woman attempting to run from the car on the sidewalk, but unable to avoid impact.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 21 June 2026
Some ideas are expensive by nature, and in the music video world, even achieving a strong visual quality on set already requires a medium-to-high budget, let alone attempting something narratively ambitious.
—Kevin Giraud, Variety, 21 June 2026
The man, who was driving a Kia Forte, was attempting to turn out of a gas station and onto the eastbound lanes of East Division Street.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 June 2026
As Vater says, attempting to pull weeds from hard soil that’s been baking under our Southern sun will result in a plant that’s simply snapped off as the stem, leaving the root system intact and ready to sprout again.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempting
Verb
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Brian Gutiérrez, the Mexican American who played a key role in the opener as South Africa was hit a with a red card while trying to stop him, and veteran Roberto Alvarado, who recorded an assist against South Africa, joined Rangel as Chivas starters in the opener.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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The officer retreated and fired several shots, killing the dog and injuring its owner, who was trying to secure the animal, police said.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The overarching message is that spatial computing is maturing, striving for seamless integration into daily life.—
Tim Bajarin,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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General Motors is among the Western automakers striving to match that blistering pace, by harnessing AI and simulation to dramatically shorten development times.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attempting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempting. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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