on the third effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "on the third effort" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was achieved after three attempts or tries. Example: "She finally solved the puzzle on the third effort, much to everyone's surprise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

WASHINGTON — Last Friday night, President Obama called Speaker John A. Boehner just after the Republican House leader had gotten his rebellious Republicans, on the third effort, to pass legislation to address the debt crisis.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

President Karolos Papoulias's announcement on Saturday followed the collapse on Friday of the third effort by individual parties to form unity governments after elections last Sunday left no party with a majority.

The New York Times

This paper focuses on one of the first efforts to implement large-scale Electronic Patient Records (EPRs) in Western hospitals conforming to the international openEHR architecture.

Procedia Technology

In 1979 the Canadian task Force on the Periodic Health Examination published one of the first efforts to explicitly characterise the level of evidence underlying healthcare recommendations and the strength of recommendations [ 1].

BMC Health Services Research

The lawyer wrote a 127-page brief that secured Mr. Lake's parole on the first effort, an unusual occurrence.

The New York Times

At the time, the good doctor and I had embarked on the fifth effort to fix a problem with my eye.

The New York Times

Keeper Gerard Doherty got a touch on the first effort from Hughes who followed up to net into an open goal.

BBC

Further, in his work with Peiresc, Gassendi tackled the problem of determining longitude by reference to lunar eclipses, later working towards this goal with Claude Mellan on the first effort to chart the moon.

SEP

Tens of billions of dollars have already been spent on such efforts through the stimulus program passed in 2009, and Republicans in Congress — intent on calling the first effort a failure — are not about to embark on a new round.

The New York Times

Instead, the 60 votes would be required on only the first effort to break the filibuster.

The New York Times

Foam testing will resume on Thursday with the first effort to fire a chunk of foam at the actual material used on the leading edge of the shuttle's wing.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "on the third effort" to clearly indicate that a task or goal was achieved after two previous unsuccessful attempts. This phrasing adds specificity and emphasizes persistence.

Common error

While "effort" and "try" can be interchangeable, "effort" often implies a more significant or sustained attempt. Ensure the context warrants the slightly more formal and committed sense that "effort" conveys. Consider using "on the third try" for a more casual tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on the third effort" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the specific attempt number during which an action was successful. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use in diverse contexts, illustrating its capability to provide context around the successful completion of a task after multiple attempts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "on the third effort" is a grammatically correct and usable English phrase that indicates success achieved after three attempts. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is used to highlight perseverance and effort. While neutral in tone, it appears most frequently in news and media, and scientific contexts. For more casual situations, "on the third try" can be a good alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after three attempts

Replaces the prepositional phrase with a simpler, more direct expression.

on the third try

Substitutes "effort" with the more colloquial "try".

at the third attempt

Uses "at" instead of "on", offering a slight variation in prepositional choice.

with the third endeavor

Replaces "effort" with "endeavor", increasing the formality.

following three attempts

Emphasizes the sequence of events leading to the successful outcome.

upon the third go

Uses the less common "go" instead of "effort" or "try".

in the third instance

Shifts the focus to a specific occurrence within a series.

after a trio of tries

Replaces "three" with "trio" and "attempts" with "tries", adding a touch of informality.

by the third wave

Uses the term "wave" indicating multiple repeated efforts towards something

in three goes

Uses the term "goes" indicating multiple repeated efforts towards something, in a more informal way

FAQs

What does "on the third effort" mean?

The phrase "on the third effort" means that something was successfully achieved after two prior attempts had failed. It highlights the persistence required to accomplish a goal.

What can I say instead of "on the third effort"?

You can use alternatives like "after three attempts", "on the third try", or "at the third attempt" depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is "on the third effort" formal or informal?

"On the third effort" is relatively neutral in tone, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, alternatives like "on the third try" are more informal, while "with the third endeavor" leans towards formality.

How do I use "on the third effort" in a sentence?

You can use "on the third effort" to describe the successful completion of a task after previous failures. For example, "The team secured the victory "on the third effort", showcasing their resilience and determination."