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
Lytvynchuk was arrested near Seattle last week and charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered animal in violation of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to the Department of Justice.
—
Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
He can also be seen attempting to take out what appears to be a yogurt container from the fridge.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 17 May 2026
In 2003, a Thunderbirds aircraft crashed while attempting a maneuver.
—Rebecca Boone, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
Authorities allege Dunmars then left the scene in a Jeep Grand Cherokee before returning moments later as Hayes was attempting to leave in her Nissan Pathfinder.
—Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Sinner is also attempting to become the first Italian man to raise the Rome trophy since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
Staveley was the financier who had spent years attempting to buy Newcastle and, backed by the contentious support of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, finally succeeded.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 16 May 2026
Bar staff are dancing atop a column attempting to pour champagne down a woman’s throat.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 May 2026
Orjuela was apprehended while attempting to flush several hundred grams of fentanyl down a toilet, court records show.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2026
Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
He can also be seen attempting to take out what appears to be a yogurt container from the fridge.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 17 May 2026
In 2003, a Thunderbirds aircraft crashed while attempting a maneuver.
—Rebecca Boone, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
Authorities allege Dunmars then left the scene in a Jeep Grand Cherokee before returning moments later as Hayes was attempting to leave in her Nissan Pathfinder.
—Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Sinner is also attempting to become the first Italian man to raise the Rome trophy since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
Staveley was the financier who had spent years attempting to buy Newcastle and, backed by the contentious support of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, finally succeeded.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 16 May 2026
Bar staff are dancing atop a column attempting to pour champagne down a woman’s throat.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 May 2026
Orjuela was apprehended while attempting to flush several hundred grams of fentanyl down a toilet, court records show.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempting
Verb
-
This street is very busy because of the university and people trying to escape traffic on the corniche road.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
-
The Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency confirmed that Mohammad Rashid Mazaheri was under arrest but said he was detained after trying to cross the border illegally.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Veering between striving and settling, a person caught in the greatness trap struggles to admire the best without making everything else seem worse.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
22 May 2026
-
The other is striving to create the framework that may be vital for the future.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attempting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempting. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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