attack and attempt share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. attack means “(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)”. attempt means “earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something”. attack is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈtæk/
1.n.(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
“the attack began at dawn”
2.n.an offensive move in a sport or game
“they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning”
3.n.intense adverse criticism
“Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party”
/əˈtɛmpt/
1.n.earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
“made an effort to cover all the reading material”
2.n.the act of attacking
“attacks on women increased last year”
3.v.make an effort or attempt
“He tried to shake off his fears”
| attack | attempt | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈtæk/ | /əˈtɛmpt/ |
| Said | uh-TAK | uh-TEMPT |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 6 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 15 | 4 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | onslaught, onset, onrush | effort, endeavor, endeavour |
Full entry for attack · Full entry for attempt · More comparisons