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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 attempting
This year, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is attempting to not only win the Masters but become a grand slam champion.
—
Steve Silverman, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
His 48-foot birdie putt set off a charge so loud that poor Corey Conners, attempting to speak to reporters a few hundred yards away, had to stop and wait.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
However, attempting to time market exits and entries has proven nearly impossible, even for professional money managers.
—Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Finally, a Nigerian woman who was attempting to break the world record for the fastest time to visit every continent was thwarted in her mission by flight delays and visa issues.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2025
The 29-year-old reportedly went on a profanity-laden rant in the courtroom Tuesday, accusing authorities of attempting to de-transition her.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Ordonez-Ortega and Vasquez-Salinas were found together in the kitchen, and Robles was stopped after allegedly attempting to flee his vehicle, federal officials said.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2025
In addition to securing gear, my cycling legs needed some waking up before attempting this feat.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025
But Moreno’s backers spent hundreds of thousands of dollars attempting to do just that, with not much to show for it.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Steve Silverman, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
His 48-foot birdie putt set off a charge so loud that poor Corey Conners, attempting to speak to reporters a few hundred yards away, had to stop and wait.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
However, attempting to time market exits and entries has proven nearly impossible, even for professional money managers.
—Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Finally, a Nigerian woman who was attempting to break the world record for the fastest time to visit every continent was thwarted in her mission by flight delays and visa issues.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2025
The 29-year-old reportedly went on a profanity-laden rant in the courtroom Tuesday, accusing authorities of attempting to de-transition her.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Ordonez-Ortega and Vasquez-Salinas were found together in the kitchen, and Robles was stopped after allegedly attempting to flee his vehicle, federal officials said.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2025
In addition to securing gear, my cycling legs needed some waking up before attempting this feat.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025
But Moreno’s backers spent hundreds of thousands of dollars attempting to do just that, with not much to show for it.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attempting
Verb
-
New York police on Monday were trying to determine why someone set a woman ablaze board a train in Brooklyn in a fatal attack drawing outrage from city and state leaders who have been laboring to make the trains safer.—
John Bacon,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
-
The holdups come during one of the busiest travel times of the year, frustrating hundreds of customers trying to get home for the holidays.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
This means going beyond policies and quotas, striving instead for cultural norms where differences are not only accepted but celebrated.—
Mo Hamzian,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
-
By contrast, the sneaker trends that have defined the latter half of this year–and those forecast for next–suggest many people are striving for anti-mainstream designs.—
Alice Cary,
Vogue,
26 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Attempting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attempting. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share