“Attempt” vs. “Try”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “attempt” and “try”

  • "Attempt" can imply a more deliberate and purposeful action; whereas "try" is a more general term that can involve less planning or strategy.
  • Attempting often involves a greater level of commitment or investment than trying.
  • "Attempt" suggests a chance of success, while "try" can be seen as a more tentative or experimental approach.
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What is the definition of “attempt” and “try”?

Attempt
  • "Attempt" refers to making an effort or an endeavor to accomplish something.
  • It is an action aimed at achieving a specific goal or outcome.
  • It can involve a certain level of risk and requires planning, preparation, and execution.
Try
  • "Try" means to endeavor to do something.
  • It involves putting in effort or seeking to accomplish something.
  • It does not necessarily guarantee success and can involve experimentation or testing.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Try” is the more popular variant on the web.
Attempt
1,200,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. I will attempt to solve this difficult math problem.
  2. Despite her fear of heights, she made an attempt to climb the challenging mountain.
  3. The athlete's attempt to break the world record fell short.
More popular
Try
6,300,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. Can you please try harder to clean your room?
  2. I will try my best to finish this project before the deadline.
  3. She decided to try a new recipe for dinner tonight.
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