Synonyms for attempt
əˈtɛmptat·tempt

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:4.0 / 4 votes

1. attemptnoun

   Synonyms:
   effort, try

2. attemptnoun

   To try.

   Synonyms:
   effort, try

3. attemptnoun

   An assault or attack, especially an assassination attempt.

   Synonyms:
   try, effort

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.0 / 4 votes

1. attemptverb

   To attempt is to take action somewhat experimentally with the hope and purpose of accomplishing a certain result; to endeavor is to attempt strenuously and with firm and enduring purpose. To attempt expresses a single act; to endeavor, a continuous exertion; we say I will endeavor (not I will attempt) while I live. To attempt is with the view of accomplishing; to essay, with a view of testing our own powers. To undertake is to accept or take upon oneself as an obligation, as some business, labor, or trust; the word often implies complete assurance of success; as, I will undertake to produce the witness. To strive suggests little of the result, much of toil, strain, and contest, in seeking it; I will strive to fulfil your wishes, i. e., I will spare no labor and exertion to do it. Try is the most comprehensive of these words. The original idea of testing or experimenting is not thought of when a man says "I will try." To attempt suggests giving up, if the thing is not accomplished at a stroke; to try implies using other means and studying out other ways if not at first successful. Endeavor is more mild and formal; the pilot in the burning pilot-house does not say "I will endeavor" or "I will attempt to hold the ship to her course," but "I'll try, sir!"

   Synonyms:
   endeavor, endeavor, essay, strive, try, undertake

   Antonyms:
   abandon, dismiss, drop, give up, let go, neglect, omit, overlook, pass by, throw away, throw over, throw up

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.7 / 3 votes

1. attempt

   Synonyms:
   try, endeavor, strive, undertake, seek, essay, attack, violate, force

   Antonyms:
   disregard, abandon, pretermit, dismiss, neglect, shun, drop

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:2.0 / 2 votes

1. attempt, effort, endeavor, endeavour, trynoun

   earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

   "made an effort to cover all the reading material"; "wished him luck in his endeavor"; "she gave it a good try"

   Synonyms:
   endeavour, elbow grease, travail, exploit, feat, drive, effort, movement, campaign, sweat, attack, cause, try, enterprise, crusade, exertion, endeavor

2. attack, attemptverb

   the act of attacking

   "attacks on women increased last year"; "they made an attempt on his life"

   Synonyms:
   approach, attack, endeavor, onrush, try, plan of attack, fire, endeavour, blast, flak, effort, onset, onslaught, tone-beginning, flack

3. try, seek, attempt, essay, assayverb

   make an effort or attempt

   "He tried to shake off his fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; "The police attempted to stop the thief"; "He sought to improve himself"; "She always seeks to do good in the world"

   Synonyms:
   examine, search, stress, adjudicate, strain, essay, seek, look for, assay, try out, try, prove, test, try on, taste, hear, set about, undertake, sample, judge, render

4. undertake, set about, attemptverb

   enter upon an activity or enterprise

   Synonyms:
   take in charge, begin, get down, essay, seek, set about, take on, commence, undertake, try, start, approach, tackle, get, assay, go about, contract, set out, guarantee, start out

Matched Categories

1. • Initiate

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:2.0 / 1 vote

1. try

   you try to do something you attempt

   Submitted by anonymous on January 19, 2021  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. attemptverb

   Synonyms:
   try, assay, essay, make trial or experiment of

2. attemptverb

   Synonyms:
   undertake, go about, set about, take in hand, endeavor to accomplish

3. attemptverb

   Synonyms:
   try, strive, endeavor, seek, aim, make an attempt, make essay, do one's best, do all that in one lies, strain every nerve, leave no stone unturned

4. attemptnoun

   Synonyms:
   effort, trial, essay, endeavor, experiment, undertaking, enterprise

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "attempt":

   attempted, try, attempts, effort, bid, attempting, endeavour, seek, intention, quest

How to pronounce attempt?

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How to use attempt in a sentence?

1. Robert A. Heinlein:

   A fool cannot be protected from his folly. If you attempt to do so, you will not only arouse his animosity but also you will be attempting to deprive him of whatever benefit he is capable of deriving from experience. Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig.

2. Phil Berger:

   This is just the latest attempt by the far left’s political correctness mob to force their beliefs on everyone else by trampling the First Amendment guarantee of religious freedom.

3. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy:

   It was a bad attempt at a joke.

4. Eugène Ionesco:

   There is nothing truer than myth: history, in its attempt to realize myth, distorts it, stops halfway; when history claims to have succeeded, this is nothing but humbug and mystification. Everything we dream is realizable. Reality does not have to be: it is simply what it is.

5. Shelley Chapman:

   Saying this is a sub rosa plan doesn't make it one, this is not actually an attempt by anyone to take a shortcut.