despite repeated attempts

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "despite repeated attempts" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was not successful even after trying multiple times. Example: "Despite repeated attempts to contact the customer service department, I was unable to resolve my issue."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

But despite repeated attempts, a coalition was not formed.

The Guardian

(Despite repeated attempts, Milani could not be reached for comment).

The New York Times - Magazine

Despite repeated attempts over 48 hours, they never got into the city centre.

The Guardian

But despite repeated attempts to alert management to the problems, he was fobbed off, he claims.

The Guardian

The Guardian was unable to reach Beijing family planning authorities for comment despite repeated attempts.

The Guardian

At least, that's how it seems to someone with my arrhythmic talents, despite repeated attempts.

The Guardian - Music

Despite repeated attempts, Morrison's office did not respond to requests for comment.

The Guardian

Despite repeated attempts to return the whales to sea, all eventually died.

The New York Times

Many who complained said they could not get an answer from Viagogo despite repeated attempts.

The Guardian - Money

Dr. Halder could not be reached by telephone despite repeated attempts.

The New York Times

I could not comfortably (or for long) float on my back, despite repeated attempts.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To add emphasis, consider pairing "despite repeated attempts" with strong verbs or adjectives that highlight the effort or the disappointing outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "despite repeated attempts" when the attempts were not truly significant or numerous. Overusing the phrase in such cases can weaken its impact. Instead, opt for a simpler phrasing if the effort was minimal.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "despite repeated attempts" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces a statement of contrast. It modifies the main clause by indicating that an action or outcome occurred in spite of multiple efforts to prevent it. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

43%

Wiki

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "despite repeated attempts" is a versatile phrase used to indicate that something occurred or failed to occur despite multiple tries. Ludwig AI confirms that it's appropriate for written English and is used to highlight persistence or the lack of success, predominantly in news, media, and scientific contexts. While grammatically correct and widely accepted, alternative phrases like "in spite of numerous tries" or "notwithstanding multiple efforts" can provide variety. When using it, ensure the attempts were significant to maintain its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in spite of numerous tries

Uses "in spite of" instead of "despite" and "tries" instead of "attempts", slightly altering the phrasing.

notwithstanding multiple efforts

Replaces "despite" with "notwithstanding" and "attempts" with the more formal "efforts".

regardless of several tries

Replaces "despite" with "regardless of" and "attempts" with "tries", offering a simpler alternative.

despite numerous failed endeavors

Combines "despite" with "numerous" and uses "failed endeavors" for emphasis.

even with persistent endeavors

Uses "even with" to convey the contrast, replacing "repeated attempts" with "persistent endeavors", which is more emphatic.

following multiple failed tries

Highlights the failure of the attempts using "failed tries" instead of "repeated attempts".

after many unsuccessful efforts

Changes the structure to emphasize the lack of success, using "unsuccessful efforts" instead of "repeated attempts".

though attempts were made repeatedly

Inverts the structure to start with "though", emphasizing the repeated nature of the attempts.

in the face of constant setbacks

Focuses on the obstacles faced, using "constant setbacks" to replace the idea of repeated attempts.

with all efforts proving futile

Emphasizes the ineffectiveness of the attempts, using "futile" to convey the lack of success.

FAQs

How can I use "despite repeated attempts" in a sentence?

You can use "despite repeated attempts" to show that something was not achieved even after trying many times. For example, "Despite repeated attempts, the negotiations failed".

What are some alternatives to "despite repeated attempts"?

Alternatives include "in spite of numerous tries", "notwithstanding multiple efforts", or "after many unsuccessful efforts" depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "despite repeated attempts" or "in spite of repeated attempts"?

"Despite repeated attempts" and "in spite of repeated attempts" are generally interchangeable and have a similar level of formality. The choice often comes down to personal preference.

What's the difference between "despite repeated attempts" and "despite a single attempt"?

"Despite repeated attempts" indicates that an action was tried multiple times, while "despite a single attempt" indicates it was only tried once. The former emphasizes persistence, while the latter does not.