aimed unsuccessfully

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "aimed unsuccessfully" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an attempt to achieve a goal that did not succeed. Example: "The team aimed unsuccessfully to secure funding for their project, despite their best efforts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

In March, Parliament passed a law aimed, unsuccessfully, at barring him from running for president, a challenge he survived through an appeal to the Supreme Court.

The New York Times

Springsteen and the band were prominent on the Vote for Change tour in 2004, which aimed (unsuccessfully) to put a Democrat in the White House, and the E Streeters were also united behind Springsteen for the albums Magic (2007) and Working On a Dream (2009).

The Guardian - Music

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Philip Morris (unsuccessfully) sought to overturn Australian legislation aimed at curtailing smoking.

The Guardian

Since then, the industry has tried unsuccessfully to commercialize wafer-scale circuits aimed at avoiding chip-to-chip communication bottlenecks.

The New York Times

New science standards for Texas schools strike a major blow to the teaching of evolution, say scientists and educators who last week tried unsuccessfully to block the adoption of last-minute amendments aimed at providing an opening for the teaching of creationism.

Science Magazine

Adelmeyer also testified that he had read about Project Veritas' attempted sting operation aimed at The Washington Post, in which an operative associated with the organization unsuccessfully tried to trick the paper into printing a false allegation against Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.

HuffPost

Relations between the two plunged this year when Netanyahu sought unsuccessfully to end U.S. support for the landmark international agreement aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Los Angeles Times

The food and beverage industry should challenge donor governments to redirect a significant portion of the foreign aid they now spend unsuccessfully on agriculture in developing countries -- to fund incubation grants aimed at helping groups of smallholders transform themselves into self-financing, self-managed small businesses.

Huffington Post

While American retailers had once pushed for changes unsuccessfully, there is new momentum this year after Congress passed credit card reforms in the spring aimed at curbing excessive fees and interest on credit cards.

The New York Times

He unsuccessfully tried to prove that a White House staffer's death was suspicious by wielding a pistol aimed at a pumpkin in his own back garden.

The Guardian - Opinion

They aim.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using stronger verbs or more descriptive language to convey the effort and intention behind the aiming. For example, instead of "aimed unsuccessfully", you could say "strived mightily but failed to achieve".

Common error

Avoid using "aimed unsuccessfully" when the action wasn't a deliberate attempt at a specific target. "Aimed" implies intention, so ensure the context supports this meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "aimed unsuccessfully" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifying how the action of aiming was carried out. Ludwig AI indicates its grammatical correctness, it describes how an action was performed.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "aimed unsuccessfully" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe an effort that did not achieve its intended goal. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a valid expression, primarily found in News & Media and Scientific contexts. While it may not be the most frequent phrase, it effectively conveys the lack of success in a specific attempt. Consider alternatives like "attempted without success" or "tried and failed" depending on the nuance you want to express.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

targeted without success

Similar to the original phrase, but replaces "aimed" with "targeted", providing a slightly different nuance.

attempted without success

Focuses on the act of attempting and the lack of success, removing the notion of 'aiming' entirely.

tried and failed

A more direct and less formal way of expressing unsuccessful attempts, omitting the specific intention or aim.

endeavored fruitlessly

Emphasizes the effort made and the lack of positive results, with a slightly more formal tone.

sought to no avail

Highlights the act of seeking or pursuing, but emphasizes the lack of any benefit or advantage gained.

strived in vain

Indicates a great deal of effort was put forth without achieving the desired goal, emphasizing the futility of the attempt.

aspired without fulfillment

Focuses on high ambitions that were not realized, with a slightly more literary or formal tone.

pursued unproductively

Highlights the unproductive nature of the pursuit, focusing on the lack of tangible results.

worked toward unsuccessfully

Highlights the labor and effort, but focuses more on the unsuccessful result.

sought after unsuccessfully

Focuses on the object of the pursuit and the lack of acquisition, emphasizing the desire for something that was not obtained.

FAQs

How can I use "aimed unsuccessfully" in a sentence?

Use "aimed unsuccessfully" to describe a specific attempt or effort that did not achieve its intended goal. For instance, "The company "aimed unsuccessfully" to increase its market share this quarter.

What are some alternatives to saying "aimed unsuccessfully"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "attempted without success", "tried and failed", or "targeted without success".

Is it grammatically correct to say "aimed unsuccessfully"?

Yes, "aimed unsuccessfully" is grammatically correct. It combines the verb "aimed" with the adverb "unsuccessfully" to modify the verb.

In what kind of writing is "aimed unsuccessfully" most appropriate?

The phrase "aimed unsuccessfully" is suitable for formal and professional writing where you need to convey the failure of a specific attempt. It is less common in informal contexts.