This is the 3382nd most frequent Russian word.
попытались
"Попытались" means "tried" or "attempted" (past tense, plural).
Here, 'попытались' is used to indicate an attempt or effort to explain something, showing a completed action in the past.
Они попытались объяснить ситуацию.
They tried to explain the situation.
In this sentence, 'попытались' denotes the action of attempting to open the door, emphasizing the action was deliberate but unsuccessful.
Мы попытались открыть дверь, но она была заперта.
We tried to open the door, but it was locked.
The usage of 'попыталась' here highlights that the subject made an effort to wake someone, illustrating the attempt as a distinct action in the past.