attempted

/əˈtemptɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈtemptɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈtem(p)-təd/ (ame, mw)

attempted — adjective

  • attemptedpositive
  • more attemptedcomparative
  • most attemptedsuperlative

1. used for a criminal act that a person began, but did not finish because it faile

1.形容詞B2
釋義

used for a criminal act that a person began, but did not finish because it failed or was stopped

例句

The jury found Hugo guilty of attempted murder after the stabbing.

attempted + crime noun in a legal charge

Police arrested Rachid for attempted robbery outside the late-night pharmacy.

同義詞
  • abortive

    more formal and broader; it is not limited to crimes or legal charges

  • unsuccessful

    broader and less technical; it does not sound like a legal label

反義詞
  • completed

    finished fully rather than stopped before the act was carried through

文法句型

attempted + crime noun

用法筆記

Almost always comes before a noun that names a crime or attack. Unlike sense 2, this use is strongly tied to legal charges and news reports, not to ordinary failed efforts in daily life.

常見錯誤

❌He was charged with trying murder.
✅He was charged with attempted murder.
💡Legal charges normally use 'attempted + crime noun,' not 'trying + crime.'

2. used for something a person tried to do, make, or say, but could not complete or

2.形容詞B2
釋義

used for something a person tried to do, make, or say, but could not complete or make work

例句

Mira gave an attempted smile before turning back to the ward window.

attempted + expression noun

Lakshmi made an attempted joke, but nobody around the table laughed.

同義詞
  • abortive

    formal and often suggests the action stopped before reaching its goal

  • failed

    more direct and common, but it describes the result rather than the partly made effort

  • unsuccessful

    broader and neutral; it does not always imply the action had already begun

反義詞

文法句型

attempted + action noun

用法筆記

This use often describes a gesture, remark, rescue, escape, or similar action that was started but did not come off. It differs from sense 1 because it is not a legal label and can refer to any failed effort.

常見錯誤

❌She gave an attempting smile.
✅She gave an attempted smile.
💡Use 'attempted' for the result someone tried to produce; 'attempting' describes the person doing the trying.