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shallow attempt

[ˈʃæloʊ əˈtɛmpt]
noun phrasepl: shallow attempts
tentativa superficial
1. An effort or try that lacks depth, thoroughness, or genuine commitment; a half-hearted or cursory endeavor
His shallow attempt to apologize was rejected by everyone.
A sua tentativa superficial de se desculpar foi rejeitada por todos.
2. An action that addresses only the surface of a problem without dealing with underlying issues
The government's shallow attempt to fix the economy failed to address root causes.
A tentativa superficial do governo de corrigir a economia não abordou as causas raízes.
NYC Slang
weak sauce attempt
Synonyms
half-hearted attemptsuperficial efforttoken gesturecursory trynominal attempt
Antonyms
genuine effortthorough attemptsincere endeavordeep commitmentcomprehensive try

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
tentativa superficial
most common usage across Brazil
São Paulo
tentativa de fachada
emphasis on false appearance
Rio de Janeiro
tentativa meia-boca
colloquial, informal usage
Portugal
tentativa fraca
commonly used in European Portuguese

Related Idioms & Phrases

scratch the surface
skin-deep effort
window dressing
smoke and mirrors
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