French word

tenter

Pronunciation

IPA/tɑ̃te/

Meaning

  • verbtry

Example

Je vais tenter cette recette ce soir.

I am going to try this recipe tonight.

Illustration for tenter (try)

More examples

Il a tenté de réparer la voiture hier.

He tried to repair the car yesterday.

Core concept

A purposeful test directed at a goal, with the same reaching idea extended to tempting or attracting someone.

Common phrases

  • tenter de

    try to ___

  • tenter sa chance

    try one's luck

  • se laisser tenter

    give in to temptation

Similar words

essayer: To try something to see how it works or turns out.
tester: To test something in practice to check its performance or condition.

Definition in French

Faire une tentative dirigée vers un but ou pour voir si quelque chose fonctionne; souvent utilisé avec « tenter de + infinitif ».

Word origin

French inherited tenter from Old French, which took it from Latin tentare or temptare, a verb associated with the Latin root of tendere, 'to stretch'.

Usage tips

  • In Je vais tenter cette recette, tenter means 'try' because the direct object is an action; Je suis tenté de partir means 'I am tempted to leave'.

Other meanings

  • temptverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word