attempted to keep

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "attempted to keep" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing an effort made to maintain or preserve something, such as a situation, relationship, or standard. Example: "She attempted to keep the peace during the heated discussion between her friends."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Harry attempted to keep Sandra's behavior at bay by keeping her fully informed.

Harvard Business Review

Malusis attempted to keep Russo from talking.

The New Yorker

The Conservatives attempted to keep the focus on national insurance.

The Guardian

He attempted to keep up with Grace Jones.

The Guardian - Film

Additionally, the owner of such information would have reasonably attempted to keep it secret and confidential.

Pharmaceutical Medicine and Translational Clinical Research

Lines of riot police attempted to keep the two groups apart but came under attack.

Independent

Hamilton was understandably downbeat on the podium, but attempted to keep a lid on his emotions.

Independent

Until the 1980s the IAAF attempted to keep its athletes from benefiting financially from the sport.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The fourth e-mail said: The police arrived here and attempted to keep the peace.

The New Yorker

Wayne was released a few months later and I attempted to keep up our correspondence.

The Guardian - Music

So there may be a question regarding how hard Van Gaal attempted to keep the Argentinian.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "attempted to keep" to convey a sense of effort and potential difficulty in maintaining a specific state or condition. This emphasizes the challenge faced.

Common error

Avoid pairing "attempted to keep" with verbs that already imply an attempt or effort. For instance, saying "He tried to attempted to keep the secret" is redundant; simply use "He tried to keep the secret."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "attempted to keep" functions as a verbal phrase indicating an action that someone tried to perform. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct. It often precedes a noun or noun phrase, specifying what the subject tried to maintain or preserve, as seen in examples like "attempted to keep the peace."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

17%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "attempted to keep" is a versatile verbal phrase used to describe an effort made to maintain or preserve something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across various contexts. It commonly appears in News & Media sources, as well as academic writing. While alternatives like "tried to maintain" or "sought to preserve" exist, "attempted to keep" effectively conveys the sense of effort and potential difficulty. Remember to avoid redundancy by not pairing it with verbs that already imply an attempt and to ensure your sentences clearly indicate the intended outcome of the attempted action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tried to maintain

Replaces "attempted" with the more common "tried" and "keep" with "maintain", suggesting a sustained effort.

sought to preserve

Emphasizes the effort to protect something from change or damage.

endeavored to retain

Suggests a more formal and determined effort to hold onto something.

aimed to safeguard

Highlights the intention to protect something from harm or risk.

worked to uphold

Implies effort to maintain a standard or principle.

strove to conserve

Focuses on the effort to prevent waste or loss of a resource.

made an effort to sustain

Highlights the exertion required to keep something going.

took steps to secure

Suggests specific actions were taken to ensure something's safety or continuation.

set out to defend

Implies a proactive and protective stance.

battled to preserve

Conveys a struggle to maintain something against opposing forces.

FAQs

How can I use "attempted to keep" in a sentence?

The phrase "attempted to keep" is used to describe an effort to maintain or preserve something. For example, "The organization "attempted to keep" a low profile" or "The police "attempted to keep" the peace".

What are some alternatives to "attempted to keep"?

Alternatives include phrases like "tried to maintain", "sought to preserve", or "endeavored to retain", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Which is correct: "attempted to keep" or "tried to kept"?

"Attempted to keep" is the correct form. "Tried to kept" is grammatically incorrect, as "kept" is the past participle and should not follow "to".

What's the difference between "attempted to keep" and "managed to keep"?

"Attempted to keep" indicates an effort was made, without necessarily implying success. "Managed to keep", on the other hand, suggests that the effort was successful. For example, someone might have "attempted to keep" a secret but failed, while someone who "managed to keep" a secret succeeded in doing so.