Attempt to prevent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Attempt to prevent" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing efforts made to stop something from happening. Example: "The organization made an attempt to prevent the spread of misinformation during the crisis."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Attempt to prevent them leaving in the first place.

WikiHow

Attempt to prevent future arguments from escalating the same way.

WikiHow

There are proposals to attempt to prevent governments from this indulging in this kind of warfare.

The Guardian - Opinion

Legislatures and central banks throughout the world now routinely attempt to prevent or moderate recessions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

More active systems also attempt to prevent the intrusion upon detection in real time.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They may even attempt to prevent the Brotherhood from fielding candidates in the next election.

The Washington Post

She also recommends annual flu shots to attempt to prevent flu or reduce its severity.

The New York Times - Health

Periodically the French authorities attempt to prevent them from coming but asylum seekers continue to arrive.

The Guardian

Adversarial nodes can attempt to prevent the successful transmission of protocol messages by jamming the channel with unwanted signals.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

How would you attempt to prevent these incidents from happening?

Los Angeles Times

To date, programs targeting men to attempt to prevent perpetration have been largely unsuccessful [ 37, 38].

BMC Women's Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "Attempt to prevent" when you want to emphasize the effort being made, not just the act of prevention. For example, "The city is making an "attempt to prevent" flooding by reinforcing the levees."

Common error

While grammatically correct, "attempt to prevent" can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Use simpler alternatives like "try to stop" or "try to avoid" for a more natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Attempt to prevent" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing purpose. It indicates the aim or intention behind an action, as seen in Ludwig's examples where various entities are undertaking efforts to stop something from occurring.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

18%

Science

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Attempt to prevent" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to express the intention to avert or hinder something. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and frequent usage across various contexts, particularly in News & Media, Wiki and Science. While versatile, it is advisable to consider simpler alternatives like "try to stop" in informal contexts to maintain a natural tone. The phrase is generally neutral in register and indicates a proactive effort to stop a possible negative outcome. High-quality sources such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and BBC frequently employ this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Try to avert

Focuses on averting a negative outcome, emphasizing avoidance.

Seek to forestall

Highlights proactive action to prevent something from happening.

Strive to impede

Emphasizes the effort made to slow down or obstruct an event.

Endeavor to preclude

Suggests a serious and determined effort to make something impossible.

Aim to obstruct

Focuses on the intention to block or hinder something.

Work to deter

Implies efforts to discourage or restrain someone from doing something.

Undertake to thwart

Indicates a deliberate and active effort to defeat or frustrate something.

Take steps to block

Focuses on the actions taken to create an obstacle or barrier.

Move to counteract

Highlights actions taken to neutralize or offset a negative effect.

Act to inhibit

Focuses on actions that suppress or restrain an action or process.

FAQs

How can I use "Attempt to prevent" in a sentence?

Use "Attempt to prevent" when you want to emphasize the effort being made, for example: "The organization made an "attempt to prevent" the spread of misinformation."

What can I say instead of "Attempt to prevent"?

You can use alternatives like "try to avert", "seek to forestall", or "aim to obstruct" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "Attempt to prevent" or "Attempt at preventing"?

"Attempt to prevent" is the more common and generally preferred phrasing. "Attempt at preventing" is grammatically correct, but less concise and can sound awkward.

What's the difference between "Attempt to prevent" and "Prevent"?

"Attempt to prevent" emphasizes the effort being made, while "prevent" simply states the act of stopping something. "Attempt to prevent" is used when the outcome is uncertain, whereas "prevent" implies a higher likelihood of success.