made few attempts

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "made few attempts" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone has tried to do something only a small number of times. Example: "Despite the challenges, she made few attempts to solve the problem before giving up."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Philadelphia made few attempts to double-team Umenyiora.

The New York Times - Sports

Major Hasan, 42, has been representing himself for months, and has made few attempts since the trial started Aug. 6 to present a defense.

The New York Times

Observers complain that James has made few attempts to thank fans in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers paid him more than $60 million over the last seven years.

The New York Times - Sports

During the Napoleonic Wars, the warring governments made few attempts to prevent their foes from importing food (and thereby starving them).

The Economist

Despite occasional collaborations with the likes of Kiss and Metallica, he made few attempts to reach out to a mass audience: he played to a core crowd who would follow him almost anywhere (though the feedback double-album Metal Machine Music did indeed try their patience) and sustain him in a modest but comfortable lifestyle.

Independent

Additionally, the administration made few attempts to explain the distinction between Soviet influence and international Communism to the U.S. public.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Had they been given the normal terms of the time, between 10 and 12 years – even when violence had been involved – they might have made fewer attempts to escape, as Biggs did so successfully.

The Guardian

If this occurred, the rat was then manually placed back in the tube and made fewer attempts to exit the tube as the days progressed.

EJNMMI Research

Cancer survivors in an early stage of change for smoking cessation made fewer attempts to quit smoking.

BMC Cancer

In the preceding three months, GPs realized significantly less interventions: less psychological support (37.5 vs. 53.0%, p=.02), prescribed less antidepressants (28.6 vs. 54.8%, p<.0001) or psychotropic drugs (39.1 vs. 52.9%, p=.03) and made fewer attempts to refer to a mental health specialist (33.3 vs. 45.5%, p=.05).

BMC Family Practice

Compared with those who used NRT for 4 or more weeks, persons who used NRT less than 4 weeks smoked more cigarettes per day and made fewer attempts to quit; however, there was no difference with regard to other baseline characteristics (data not shown).

American Journal of Epidemiology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "made few attempts", ensure the context clearly indicates the reason for the lack of attempts. Providing context strengthens the meaning and prevents misinterpretation.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the cause behind "made few attempts". Instead of attributing it to extreme difficulties, accurately represent the real reasons, such as lack of interest or resources, to maintain honesty and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made few attempts" functions as a descriptive phrase, indicating the limited number of tries or efforts undertaken to achieve a particular goal. Ludwig AI analysis confirms this usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

42%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "made few attempts" is a grammatically correct expression used to indicate that someone has tried something only a small number of times. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and notes its appearance in various contexts, especially in News & Media and Scientific domains. While the phrase itself is neutral, its usage often implies a lack of strong effort and a potentially incomplete outcome. For alternatives, consider phrases like "rarely endeavored" or "attempted infrequently" to refine the tone and emphasis of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

attempted infrequently

Focuses on the infrequency of the attempts made, using a more concise phrasing.

rarely endeavored

Replaces "made attempts" with "endeavored" and "few" with "rarely", emphasizing the lack of effort.

scarcely tried

Simplifies the phrase by using "tried" instead of "made attempts" and "scarcely" for "few".

seldom strived

Emphasizes the lack of striving or effort put forth, using "seldom" to indicate infrequency.

hesitated to undertake

Highlights the reluctance or hesitation in starting or pursuing an action.

showed little inclination to try

Focuses on the lack of desire or motivation to make an attempt.

exhibited minimal effort

Emphasizes the low level of effort exerted when attempting something.

offered limited engagement

Indicates a superficial or restricted involvement in trying to achieve a goal.

demonstrated a lack of initiative

Highlights the absence of proactive steps or actions taken.

took minimal action

Emphasizes the limited actions taken in pursuit of a goal.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "made few attempts" to sound more formal?

In formal writing, you can replace "made few attempts" with phrases like "rarely endeavored", "attempted infrequently", or "exhibited minimal effort" for a more sophisticated tone.

What does "made few attempts" imply about the outcome?

The phrase suggests a lack of significant effort, which often implies a lower probability of success. More context is usually needed to fully understand the situation.

Is there a difference between "made few attempts" and "made limited attempts"?

The phrases are quite similar, but "made limited attempts" might subtly emphasize the constraint or restriction placed on the attempts, while "made few attempts" simply highlights the low number of attempts.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "made few attempts"?

Use the phrase when you want to emphasize that someone did not try very hard or often to achieve something, typically due to a lack of motivation, resources, or opportunity.