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
Utilizing quick, short passes, Hayes completed 14 of his first 16 attempts, including a 26-yard touchdown strike to sophomore tight end Ian Figi that gave Naperville Central a 14-0 lead. Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026 McIntire is going batty — in a good way — over attempts to investigate the elusive western mastiff. Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The compromise bill follows multiple attempts to change the law in recent years. Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 The postponements began shortly after federal judges this month rejected the administration’s attempts to use blanket pauses, rather than individual assessments, to prevent certain immigrants from receiving visas over public-charge concerns. María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 The break with Callaway was the first sign that Good Good’s attempts at quelling the crisis were not going well after Clark’s statement on social media Wednesday night. Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026 Off Ramp is many things—a useful compendium of research on polarization and political violence, a candid memoir of Cox’s uneven attempts at peacemaking, a practical handbook for Americans who want to rediscover how to live with one another. Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 Deebo Samuel, not Cowing, was the team’s punt returner to open the game, and Cowing misjudged one of his early attempts, allowing the ball to bounce in front of him. Matt Barrows, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Former 49ers quarterback Trey Lance led the Chargers in pass attempts, completing 10 of 16 for 73 yards. Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
Police said Reyes did not provide any form of identification, and attempts to identify him were unsuccessful. Rafael Escalera Montoto, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2026 Though the Valkyries attempts more 3-pointers than any other team, their centers are not shooting threats. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026 Their method attempts to counter the negative reputation left by treasure hunters of the past. Brett Berk, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026 Smack made all four of his field goals attempts, converting from 59, 51, 43 and 38 yards. Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Once the example is placed into the model’s context window, the robot attempts the task without a training phase. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026 At the time, authorities said that attempts to find Anderson were underway through area surveillance footage in addition to phone and bank records. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 Forgo those weapons, as the Iranians have done until now, and the result is destruction, attempts at regime change, and demands for unconditional surrender. Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 And once an account moves into collections, attempts to recover the money can be difficult to ignore. Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempts
Noun
  • After surviving a ferocious first half to trail only 13-12, the All Blacks' resolve hardened by new coach Dave Rennie and age-old ability to produce something from nothing turned a tense contest into a rout by five tries to South Africa's one.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • As Lucarelli closed in on 2,000 tries over the weekend, Oswalt ran the math in his head.
    Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The development comes as the global shipping industry contends with attacks around the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, higher energy prices, and sharply reduced traffic through some of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
    Joshua Hong, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The move follows months of Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and logistics hubs that have disrupted fuel supplies and online commerce, deepening economic strain and public frustration as Russia’s war enters its fifth year.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Chesney called Martin an unbelievable leader and said that his energy will give people a window into what his program strives to look like.
    Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Thuso Mbedu stars as Zélie, who strives to bring back magic to her kingdom.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The first phase of the railway that the Colorado Connector (CoCo) will make trips on goes from Denver up to Boulder, on to Fort Collins.
    Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • Does this mean those pop-goes-punk comp albums are coming back?
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The government has been carrying out a counteroffensive since January, with aerial bombardments and ground assaults, despite an official commitment to the peace agreement.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Since then, the assaults have been so frequent that even the mayor has lost counts.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Everything else–the percussive jumpscares, the distorted synth stabs, the unintelligible vocal samples–pops in and out at will.
    Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 31 July 2026
  • The conversation ranged from Nolan’s decision to make Polyphemus (the Cyclops that Matt Damon’s Odysseus stabs in the eye) nonverbal to the film’s depiction of language itself.
    Antonio Ferme, Variety, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • Major immigration raids focusing on Haitians in the US haven’t been reported.
    Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Israel has carried out raids and strikes on Syrian territory since al-Assad, Syria's longtime dictator, was ousted in December 2024.
    Frank Andrews, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • However, Iran analysts are highly skeptical that Tehran will prove capable of launching any such large-scale ground offensives any time soon.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Israel’s ongoing offensives have become a wedge issue for Jewish and non-Jewish Americans, leading to protests and raising antisemitism fears and questions about America’s close ties to Israel.
    David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attempts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempts. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster