made much attempt

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "made much attempt" is not correct in standard written English.
It is awkward and not commonly used; a more natural phrasing would be preferred. Example: "She made much attempt to improve her skills, but progress was slow."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

But neither met regularly nor made much attempt to work with the other.

The Economist

I do not believe the critics made much attempt to depict Bill [Nordhaus]'s work accurately.

The New York Times

Nor would the Conservatives have made much attempt to divert resources to the poorest families, even though New Labour's attempts to do so have been mealy mouthed and obscured by far too much Treasury fiddling with a woefully complex tax system.

The Guardian

Neither made much attempt to defend themselves.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

It's not as though he makes much attempt to hide these attributes.

The New Yorker

Their maps, too, suffered from geographical amnesia often showing all of Palestine without Israel's borders, or displaying Arab cities in Israel but not Jewish ones.And neither side makes much attempt to explain the other society and its history.

The Economist

It's more representative, too: although the RSC and the NT take productions around the UK – and, in the latter's case, broadcast them to cinemas worldwide – neither makes much attempt to reflect the diversity of these isles.

The Guardian

Despite its success with children's programming, PBS hasn't made much of an attempt to expand beyond the elementary school crowd, though there are a few exceptions.

The New York Times

For one thing, they assume everybody eligible would come.Nor has the government made much of an attempt to advertise the economic benefits of immigration for Hong Kong's greying population.

The Economist

Until the creation of the Archaeological Conservancy in 1980, neither our state nor federal governments made much of an attempt to defend important sites all over this country from looters, who not only destroyed both the sites and thousands of artifacts as they bulldozed their way through Indian burial mounds, but also "illegally" sold off the remains to foreign buyers.

The New York Times

AOL and Time Warner executives have made much of their early attempts to promote Time Warner movies and magazine subscriptions on the AOL service and their plans to put AOL disks in Time Warner magazines.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "made much attempt" in formal writing. Opt for more common and grammatically sound alternatives like "made a significant effort" or "tried extensively" for clearer communication.

Common error

The phrase "made much attempt" often arises from trying to sound more formal or sophisticated. However, simpler and more direct phrasing, such as "tried hard" or "made a strong effort", usually conveys the intended meaning more effectively and clearly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made much attempt" functions as a verbal phrase indicating an action undertaken with a degree of effort. However, its grammatical awkwardness, as pointed out by Ludwig AI, weakens its effectiveness. Using stronger alternatives enhances clarity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Wiki

29%

Science

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "made much attempt" isn't inherently incorrect, it is considered grammatically awkward and uncommon in standard written English. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is not commonly used, and more natural phrasing would be preferred. Its function is to indicate effort, yet it is less effective than alternatives such as "made a significant effort" or "tried extensively". While it appears mostly in News & Media contexts, opting for clearer, more direct language will enhance your writing's impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

made a considerable effort

Emphasizes the substantial nature of the effort exerted.

made a significant attempt

Highlights the importance or noteworthiness of the attempt.

tried extensively

Focuses on the thoroughness and scope of the trying.

put forth a great deal of effort

Highlights investment of energy into the activity.

exerted considerable effort

Similar to 'made a considerable effort', stressing the energy expended.

strove mightily

Implies a determined and vigorous effort.

endeavored greatly

Similar to striving, but perhaps with more formal connotation.

worked hard

A simpler, more direct way of expressing effort.

tried their best

Highlights the quality of effort as being one's utmost.

made a strong effort

Emphasis on the intensity of the effort.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "made much attempt"?

You can use more common and grammatically correct alternatives such as "made a significant effort", "tried hard", or "worked diligently", depending on the context.

Is "made much attempt" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "made much attempt" is considered awkward and uncommon. Ludwig AI identifies it as not standard written English. It's better to use alternatives that are more widely accepted and grammatically sound.

How can I use "effort" correctly in place of "made much attempt"?

Instead of "made much attempt", consider phrasing your sentence to include "effort" more naturally, such as "invested considerable effort", "dedicated significant effort", or "expended much effort".

What's a more concise way to express the idea of "made much attempt"?

For a more concise expression, you could simply say "tried hard" or "endeavored greatly", conveying the same meaning with fewer words.