ATTEMPTS Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

attempts 1 of 2

noun

plural of attempt

as in tries

an effort to do or accomplish something it took several attempts before we made good ice cream with an old-fashioned hand-cranked ice cream freezer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in attacks

the act or action of setting upon with force or violence several attempts on the life of the country's chief drug enforcement official

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

attempts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of attempt

as in strives

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

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 attempts

Noun

Trump’s attempts to fire Cook from the Fed’s seven-member board of governors represent the first time in the central bank’s 113-year history that a president has sought to remove a Fed governor. — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 If anything, Trump’s escalating attempts to strong-arm people into a supposedly nicer term for AI makes him — and the industry itself — look awfully weak. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026 Samuel’s return has factored in pretty heavily there, thanks to his 74 yards on just seven attempts. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Still, any changes would be up to state lawmakers, though courts would also weigh in on any attempts to stretch the scope to all taxpayers or to extend it beyond a one-time levy. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 Following multiple attempts to silence the heckling, actor Brandon Rogers seemingly threatened the fan in a video posted online. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 After a few attempts of identifying the correct spectator, NYPD officers escorted him out of the stadium. — James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 The trio of Eller with Brady Tkachuk and Sam Reinhard on his wings held its own with a 6-5 edge over the Sharks in shot attempts and 3-2 edge in shots on goal over about six minutes of ice time at five-on-five. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026 Idaho called off the execution of Thomas Eugene Creech in 2024 after execution team members could not place a viable IV after eight attempts. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026

Verb

Previous attempts to retrieve bodies at such high altitudes have been called off because of the risk of death to the rescuers. — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026 One sailor’s father brushed aside reports about the suicide attempts. — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026 At work, Satoko attempts to create a campaign for a new Korean baseball drama that her company is releasing, but after hours she is involved in an extramarital affair with a business associate, Muramoto (Joe Odagiri). — James Marsh, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 Once one of the most dynamic running backs in the league, Kamara has just 51 yards on 18 rushing attempts this season. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Faith in Brandon Aubrey is warranted, but field goal attempts from any distance need a fun governor. — Mac Engel october 4, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 2026 The company says that if an agent attempts to move outside its software boundary, Sentry can quarantine and stop it in milliseconds. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026 Seven attempts Machado’s camp publicly confirmed last month that there have been at least seven efforts to return. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026 Nuclear fusion attempts to copy the physical reactions that power the sun. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempts

Noun

The Eagles failed to convert a single third down on 12 tries and have been outscored 31-0 in the second half of their last two games, both losses.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
The Tide moved the ball into the MSU red zone seven times, scoring touchdowns on all seven tries.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of tries

Noun

In Congo, where the outbreak has spread to seven provinces, responders have faced attacks on health teams, misinformation about the virus, a failure by locals to report symptoms and rebel violence that has limited access to treatment centers.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
The question also raised the recent spread of controversies over individual films into attacks on cast and crew and campaigns to halt screenings.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of attacks

Verb

Katie strives to use catering companies that adhere to the teachings of the Make America Healthy Again movement, one regular guest says, which encourages the consumption of raw milk and the avoidance of seed oils.

— Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026
Duplan strives to make individual rooms part of his music, regardless of location.

— William Jones, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of strives

Noun

Over the same period, CATS reported 10 assaults, or less than four per every 10 million passenger trips, on the light rail, data CATS submitted to the federal government shows.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
Moscow and Kyiv have intensified their aerial assaults as progress along the 750-mile front line has largely ground to a halt.

— HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of assaults

Noun

Testers dropped heavy weights from considerable heights onto the containers and used metal fangs to make stabs at perforation.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026
The stabs at humor also fall flat, even if the gimmick of a priest injecting his enemies with a serum that obliges them to attend mass every Sunday is kind of fun the first time, but not really the second or third.

— Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of stabs

Noun

When compared to Operation Free MacArthur Park's summer raids, Hochman said Skid Row covers a 50-city-block area, making the park's enforcement almost like a test run for Thursday's massive operation.

— Julie Sharp, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Thursday’s raids stretched from Simi Valley to West Covina, targeting homes, a storefront downtown and numerous vehicles.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of raids

Noun

However, further Houthi offensives have met stiffer resistance from the recuperated forces of the Presidential Leadership Council, depriving the group of another quick victory.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
With alarm bells ringing over potential Russian offensives — both digital and kinetic — in the coming months, vulnerable European nations must figure out if, and how, to respond.

— Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of offensives

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attempting

attempts

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“Attempts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempts. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of attempts

noun

verb

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