attempts 1 of 2

plural of attempt

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
If multiple attempts to form a government fail, Israel faces a new election early next year. — Cara Anna, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2026 The new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opened at the end of September in South Los Angeles, after a more than eight-year construction process and failed attempts by the Star Wars creator who funded it to site it in Chicago or San Francisco. — Nicholas Clairmont, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2026 The system is designed to let robots identify mistakes during operation, adjust their behavior and retain useful experience for subsequent attempts. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026 Courts have already blocked many of the administration’s steps, including attempts to access state voter rolls, restrict voting by mail and demand states change some election rules. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 The underestimation, criticism, and constant attempts to define her through others’ choices have fueled her phoenix-like rise, leaving her more excited and determined than ever. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 30 Oct. 2026 The danger is a vacancy in our comprehension, even if a psychiatrist at the film’s close attempts an explanation. — Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026 There were 175 orbital launch attempts last year from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026 Variety has made attempts to reach Thomas Markle and Thomas Markle Jr. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
Some of the movie’s most memorable moments have barely anything to do with the plot, like when Matt discovers his eyelids fusing together and attempts to separate them with nail scissors in the bathroom of a bumpy plane. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 This month, the council held a nine-hour hearing to debate tax proposals, including the BAT, as the council attempts to mitigate budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2028. — Irit Skulnik, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 Haredi political parties, however, are key potential coalition members as Netanyahu attempts to secure his political future. — Hannah Ridge, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2026 On paper, Klobuchar has the upper hand as Demuth attempts to become the first Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota in decades. — Conor Wight, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 In fact, intentionally underfueling can slow metabolism as the body attempts to store nutrients. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026 Multiple attempts to reach McDowell for comment were unsuccessful. — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026 Patterson departs after missing two of his nine field goal attempts and one of his nine extra point attempts this season. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 In response, the company imposed web application firewalls to block the exploitation attempts. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempts
Noun
  • The Sixers’ only loss (in four tries) is to Detroit, with wins over New York, Cleveland and Milwaukee.
    — Dan Woike, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Herold also deflected two extra-point tries, though both still sailed through the uprights.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In his statement, Dan also blamed Russia for a spate of attacks in recent weeks on civilian maritime transport in the Black Sea, which has left at least three people dead and has raised fears of an escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine.
    — STEPHEN McGRATH, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The bomber could potentially conduct electronic attacks alongside its existing weapons operations, reducing its dependence on specialized escort aircraft in certain scenarios.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Eager to carry on the family legacy, Charlie strives to become a Baywatch lifeguard alongside her dad.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In so doing, the tradition could achieve for ASL what the word of the year strives to achieve for English.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Arch Fit Arcade sneakers are a goes-with-everything pick that offers plenty of support without looking like orthotics.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 23 Oct. 2026
  • As far as co-op puzzle-solving goes, Orbitals doesn’t reinvent the wheel.
    — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The cases include five inmates killed behind bars and assaults against staff and inmates.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Following its release, six women independently went to police and accused him of past assaults.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Morales Garcia was found face up on the bedroom floor with about 40 stabs wounds to her head and body, mostly to her back, prosecutors said.
    — Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • In December 2024, FBI agents and local police arrested the men during pre-dawn raids on their homes in Miami Beach and their parents’ home in Bal Harbour.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The Israeli military launched large-scale domestic military exercises on Sunday to counter surprise border infiltrations and ground raids across northern and central Israel, mobilizing multiple divisions and air assets amid rising regional tensions.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Ukraine can conduct localized offensives but not enough to shift the broader battlefield balance, despite mounting Russian losses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Only small offensives are possible Ukraine can conduct localized offensives but not enough to shift the broader battlefield balance, despite mounting Russian losses.
    — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Attempts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempts. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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