1
as in try
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
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2
as in attack
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
as in to try
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attempt
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026
The resignation letter didn’t elaborate, and although Truver initially agreed to an interview, subsequent attempts to contact her were unsuccessful.
—Jennifer Palmer, Oklahoma Watch, 9 Jan. 2026
Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2026
But a small group migrated around the back of the building where a gray sedan was attempting to exit the building’s parking garage.
—Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attempt
Noun
The workplace watchdog claims in court documents that the sheriff’s office largely refused to cooperate with its attempt to interview employees and acquire law enforcement records.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026
The resignation letter didn’t elaborate, and although Truver initially agreed to an interview, subsequent attempts to contact her were unsuccessful.
—Jennifer Palmer, Oklahoma Watch, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
Arson – To unlawfully and intentionally damage or attempt to damage any real or personal property of another person or entity by fire or incendiary device.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2026
But a small group migrated around the back of the building where a gray sedan was attempting to exit the building’s parking garage.
—Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempt
Noun
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Zach LaVine scored 15 but missed six of his seven 3-point tries as Sacramento went 7 for 27 from long range.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The Traitors murder the Faithful one by one each night in secret, while the Faithful try to uncover the Traitors and banish them from the game.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Good's defenders – including city and state leaders – are calling what happened an unjustified attack; federal authorities say the agent was acting in self-defense.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
9 Jan. 2026
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In Kyiv, a CNN reporter said that the attack began around midnight, starting with multiple drone strikes on residential buildings.—
Kosta Gak,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Mike, played by a rangy, companionable Hugh Jackman, is a striving singer in Milwaukee who has battled the bottle, cannot consistently pay his mortgage, and keeps himself going by appearing at the state fair dressed up to look (and sound) like Don Ho.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Everybody loves putting on those Nora Efron classics, and the filmmakers here were striving to make something that was a modern answer to those that was in discussion with When Harry Met Sally and those greats.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The younger man had at least one stab wound to his neck, police said.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Inside the home, officers discovered three bodies, all of them dead from apparent stab wounds.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In addition to the murder charge, Thompson faces charges of committing a terroristic act, aggravated assault, engaging in violent criminal group activity and endangering the welfare of a minor, according to the jail roster.—
Rafael Escalera Montoto,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
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He is being held on a $2 million bond for a murder charge and must pay $200,000, as well as a $5,000 bond for an assault charge, to be released.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Three police officers lean on a silver car blocking a Louvre entrance, hours after thieves carried out a daylight raid on French crown jewels.—
NPR,
NPR,
9 Nov. 2025
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Advertisement 'Exhausted and bruised' The first video from last week, in which agents drive away with a toddler still in the back, took place in Los Angeles during a raid at Home Depot in the Cypress Park neighborhood.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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That’s with a 44 percent offensive-zone starting percentage.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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David Ellison launched his WBD offensive shortly after closing the Paramount Skydance merger in August with a trio of unsolicited offers for the entire company, all rejected.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
3 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
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And Tagovailoa shook off that early interception with a 9-yard scoring pass to Malik Washington — capping a ferocious seven-minute, 92-yard drive — and then a 38-yard TD strike to Jaylen Waddle.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempt. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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