Several attempts

USAGE SUMMARY

"Several attempts" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to multiple efforts made to achieve something. For example, "After several attempts, she finally succeeded." Alternative expressions include "multiple attempts" and "numerous attempts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Several attempts to interview him by telephone were unsuccessful.

The New York Times

Several attempts to reach Mr. Go were not successful.

The New York Times

Several attempts to reach out to other groups were rebuffed.

The Guardian

Several attempts have been made to assassinate Fadlallah.

The New Yorker

Several attempts had failed to breach its defenses.

The New York Times

Several attempts were made with Bushnell's "Turtle" against British warships.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Several attempts were made and each one failed to connect.

TechCrunch

Several attempts performed in order to synthesise SrC6 failed.

Carbon

Several attempts have been made to conceptualize service quality constructs.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

Several attempts had been made to change Ohio's redistricting processes.

Huffington Post

Several attempts at rebellion happened during this period as well.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Place this phrase at the beginning of a sentence to provide context for a failed or eventually successful outcome, as seen in many journalistic examples.

Common error

Avoid using "several" with a singular noun like "several attempt". Because "several" is a plural quantifier, it must always be followed by the plural form "attempts". Additionally, ensure the following verb agrees with the plural subject.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Several attempts" functions as a noun phrase consisting of a quantifier ("several") and a plural count noun ("attempts"). According to Ludwig AI, it frequently serves as the subject of a sentence describing an ongoing process or the object of a prepositional phrase indicating the conditions under which an event occurred.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "Several attempts" is a highly reliable and grammatically correct English expression used to denote a plural but non-specific number of efforts. Analysis by Ludwig AI indicates that it is particularly prevalent in Scientific and News & Media contexts, where it often precedes a description of failure, success or persistent conflict. It is a more precise alternative to vague terms like "some tries" but less intensive than "<a href="/s/countless+attempts" target="_blank" rel="alternative">countless attempts". Whether documenting an experiment in Carbon or reporting a news story in The New York Times, this phrase serves as a versatile tool for professional and narrative writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

multiple attempts

Slightly more formal and often used in technical or legal contexts.

numerous attempts

Suggests a higher volume or frequency than "several".

many attempts

A more general term indicating a large number of efforts.

repeated efforts

Shifts the focus from the act of 'attempting' to the 'effort' exerted.

various tries

More informal and suggests a diversity in the methods used.

frequent attempts

Emphasizes the regularity or small time intervals between tries.

successive attempts

Focuses on the sequential nature of the tries occurring one after another.

a few attempts

Implies a smaller, more limited quantity of efforts.

diverse attempts

Highlights that the attempts were different in nature or approach.

countless attempts

An idiomatic exaggeration suggesting the number is too high to be counted.

FAQs

How to use "Several attempts" in a sentence?

You can use "Several attempts" as a subject or an object to describe repeated effort. For example: "After Several attempts, the team finally reached the summit" or "The system failed despite Several attempts to reboot it".

What can I say instead of "Several attempts"?

Depending on your context, you might use "<a href="/s/multiple+attempts" target="_blank" rel="alternative">multiple attempts", "<a href="/s/numerous+attempts" target="_blank" rel="alternative">numerous attempts", or "<a href="/s/repeated+efforts" target="_blank" rel="alternative">repeated efforts".

Is "Several attempts" formal enough for academic writing?

Yes, "Several attempts" is perfectly acceptable in formal and scientific writing. Ludwig shows it is frequently used in journals like Nature and PLOS ONE to describe experimental procedures.

What is the difference between "Several attempts" and "Many attempts"?

While both are non-specific, "Several attempts" usually suggests a smaller quantity (often 3-5) compared to "<a href="/s/many+attempts" target="_blank" rel="alternative">many attempts", which implies a more significant or overwhelming volume.