attempted

adjective

at·​tempt·​ed ə-ˈtem(p)-təd How to pronounce attempted (audio)
Synonyms of attemptednext
: having been tried without success
an attempted suicide
an attempted takeover
especially, law : characterized by an intent to commit and effort taken to commit a specified crime that fails or is prevented
an attempted robbery
was charged with attempted murder

Examples of attempted in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Prosecutors allege Konig attacked his wife on that hike, striking her multiple times in an attempted killing. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026 Curtis becomes the focus of an Internal Affairs investigation after shooting one of Buddy’s unarmed students during an attempted arrest. Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026 A day later, people out playing with their kids at Two Trails Park Friday morning were unaware that a man had just been arrested and charged with an attempted murder, after allegedly attacking a woman there with a knife. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2026 An attempted Fashion District heist in May 2024 left one man dead and created a mystery for police. Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for attempted

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1513, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of attempted was circa 1513

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Cite this Entry

“Attempted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attempted. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

Legal Definition

attempted

adjective
at·​tempt·​ed
: characterized by an intent to commit and effort taken to commit a specified crime that fails or is prevented
attempted forgery

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