attempting

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   Trying to do something, especially something difficult, with no certainty of success.

   Grammar: Followed by to plus a verb or by a noun: attempting to climb, attempting the climb.

   Patterns

   • attempting to do something
   • attempting something

   She is attempting to swim across the lake.

   The students are attempting a difficult exam.

   He was attempting to fix the radio when it sparked.

2. 2verbtransitivelegal

   Trying to achieve something that is against the law or regarded as wrong.

   Grammar: Takes an object such as an offense: attempting a robbery.

   Patterns

   • attempting a crime

   Police arrested a man attempting to break into a car.

   He was charged with attempting to deceive the court.

   Anyone attempting to cheat will be removed.

Common combinations

attempting to escape

The prisoner was caught attempting to escape.

attempting a record

She is attempting a world record.

attempting the impossible

They seemed to be attempting the impossible.

attempting to contact

Officials are attempting to contact the family.

Synonyms and how they differ

trying

Trying is the everyday word, while attempting sounds more formal and suggests difficulty.

endeavoring

Endeavoring suggests serious, sustained effort and is more formal.

striving

Striving emphasizes hard, continuing effort toward a goal.

seeking

Seeking means looking for something, not always acting to do it.

Opposites

Word family

attempt verb

to try

attempt noun

an effort to do something

attempted adjective

tried but not completed

unattempted adjective

not tried

Commonly confused: attempting or tempting?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “attempting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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