What does attempted mean?
"Attempted" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "attempt," meaning to make an effort or try to achieve something, particularly when success is uncertain. Beyond this everyday use, it functions as an adjective with special weight in law, where it marks an offense that was intended or set in motion but not completed — as in "attempted murder" or "attempted robbery." This legal sense makes the word notable: a person can be found guilty of an attempted crime despite no harm resulting. The word carries a neutral tone and appears across registers, from casual conversation to courtrooms and news reporting. Its Latin roots connect it to words like "temptation" and "contempt," all stemming from the idea of testing, probing, or striving toward something.
Past tense and past participle of "attempt": made an effort or tried to do something, especially something difficult.
"They attempted the crossing in rough weather but were forced to turn back."
Describing an action that was tried or initiated but not completed, used especially in legal contexts such as "attempted murder."
"He was convicted of attempted robbery."
In legal usage, the word has a precise technical meaning denoting an uncompleted offense.
In law, "attempted" is a surprisingly powerful word: you can be convicted of attempted murder even though no one was harmed — the crime is in the trying.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of attempted
"Attempted" derives from the verb "attempt," which entered English from Old French "atempter" in the late Middle English period, ultimately from Latin "attemptare," meaning "to test or try." The Latin root combines "ad-" (toward) with "temptare" (to test, probe, or strive), the same source behind English "temptation" and "contempt." Cognates appear across Romance languages, such as Italian "tentare" and Spanish "intentar."
Related word forms
How attempted is actually used
Neutral in register and common in both everyday speech and formal writing. In legal contexts, "attempted" carries a precise technical meaning: an offense that was planned or begun but not completed. It frequently appears in fixed legal phrases such as "attempted murder."
Easily confused with attempted
"Attended" means went to or was present at an event, while "attempted" means made an effort to do something.
"Tempted" means having a strong urge or desire to do something, whereas "attempted" means actually tried to do it.