attempting

/əˈtɛmp.tɪŋ/

//əˈtɛmp.tɪŋ// verb

"attempting" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“attempting” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,505 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#4,505
frequency rank, English
10
letters
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - present participle and gerund of attempt

Key facts for attempting
PropertyValue
Headwordattempting
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈtɛmp.tɪŋ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#4,505
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “attempting” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). attempting lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for attempting is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈtɛmp.tɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,505 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "present participle and gerund of attempt".

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for attempting, with forms such as "atempting", "atetmpting", and "attemmpting". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is attempting, spelled A-T-T-E-M-P-T-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    present participle and gerund of attempt

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atempting,atetmpting,attemmpting,attempitng,attemppting,attemptign,attemptingg,attemptinng,attemptnig,attemptting,attemtping,attepmting,attmepting,tatempting

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of attempting - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

atempting1atetmpting2attemmpting1attempitng2attemppting1attemptign2attemptingg1attemptinng1
Edit distance from "attempting"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "attempting"?
"attempting" is spelled A-T-T-E-M-P-T-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈtɛmp.tɪŋ/.
What does "attempting" mean?
As a verb, "attempting" means: present participle and gerund of attempt
What are common misspellings of "attempting"?
Common misspellings include "atempting", "atetmpting", "attemmpting", "attempitng", "attemppting". The correct spelling is "attempting".
How do you pronounce "attempting"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "attempting" is /əˈtɛmp.tɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "attempting" come from?
"attempting" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “attempting”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-T-T-E-M-P-T-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈtɛmp.tɪŋ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list