Collocations for attempt - noun
ADJECTIVE
successful
abortive, botched, failed, fruitless, futile, ill-fated, misguided, unsuccessful, vain
her vain attempt to save her son's life
abortive, botched, failed, fruitless, futile, ill-fated, misguided, unsuccessful, vain
her vain attempt to save her son's life
conscious,
deliberate
bold, brave, concerted, determined, serious, valiant
blatant
feeble, half-hearted, lame, pathetic, weak
She smiled at my feeble attempt at humour/humor.
I made a half-hearted attempt at cleaning my apartment.
bold, brave, concerted, determined, serious, valiant
blatant
feeble, half-hearted, lame, pathetic, weak
She smiled at my feeble attempt at humour/humor.
I made a half-hearted attempt at cleaning my apartment.
clumsy,
crude
desperate, frantic, last-ditch
a desperate attempt to find survivors
desperate, frantic, last-ditch
a desperate attempt to find survivors
repeated
repeated attempts to break through enemy lines
repeated attempts to break through enemy lines
first
That's not bad for a first attempt.
That's not bad for a first attempt.
assassination,
coup,
escape,
rescue,
suicide
Rescue attempts were stopped because of bad weather.
Rescue attempts were stopped because of bad weather.
VERB + attempt
make
She has made no attempt to contact her mother.
She has made no attempt to contact her mother.
succeed in
He succeeded in his attempt to break the world record.
He succeeded in his attempt to break the world record.
abandon,
fail in,
give up
He abandoned his attempt to reach the summit.
He abandoned his attempt to reach the summit.
foil,
thwart
Their attempt to break out of prison was foiled.
Their attempt to break out of prison was foiled.
resist
The board said it would resist any attempt to take control of the company.
The board said it would resist any attempt to take control of the company.
PREPOSITION
in an/the attempt
In an attempt to ward off criticism, the government has made education a priority.
In an attempt to ward off criticism, the government has made education a priority.
attempt at
He made a feeble attempt at a smile.
He made a feeble attempt at a smile.
attempt by
an attempt by workers to prevent job losses
an attempt by workers to prevent job losses
PHRASES
an attempt on sb's life
(= an attempt to kill sb)
at the first, second, etc. attempt (esp. BrE), in the first, second, etc. attempt (AmE)
I passed my test at/in the first attempt.
at the first, second, etc. attempt (esp. BrE), in the first, second, etc. attempt (AmE)
I passed my test at/in the first attempt.