try 1 of 2

verb

ˈtrī How to pronounce try (audio)
Definition of trynext
1
as in to attempt
to make an effort to do try to unlock the door will try to call later tonight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stretch
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress you're trying my patience

Synonyms & Similar Words

try

2 of 2

noun

as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something was granted another try at the field goal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb try differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of try are attempt, endeavor, essay, and strive. While all these words mean "to make an effort to accomplish an end," try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

tried to determine which was the better procedure

When can attempt be used instead of try?

In some situations, the words attempt and try are roughly equivalent. However, attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

will attempt to photograph the rare bird

Where would endeavor be a reasonable alternative to try?

The synonyms endeavor and try are sometimes interchangeable, but endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

When is essay a more appropriate choice than try?

The words essay and try can be used in similar contexts, but essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

will essay a dramatic role for the first time

When is it sensible to use strive instead of try?

While the synonyms strive and try are close in meaning, strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

continues to strive for peace

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of try
Verb
Rather than trying to predict future tax law changes, the firm works within the current code. — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 Months after their 2023 breakup, Kelce attended one of Swift’s concert, tried to give her a friendship bracelet, recounted the story on his podcast, and the rest is history. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
For the first time in three tries this season, the Oilers played a low-event hockey game. — Janson Duench, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 The Nittany Lions didn't register a first down on four of their final five tries. — CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for try
Recent Examples of Synonyms for try
  1. attempt
  2. stretch
  3. strive
  4. push
  5. seek
  6. test
  7. strain
  8. bother
Verb
  • Videos posted online that appeared to be from the accident scene showed people gathered by a river as rescuers attempted to reach the area.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • This time the meetups are spread across a number of weeks, as the summer heat cools gently into autumn, while the interludes themselves attempt to broach something more complex than simple relationship woes.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of attempt
Verb
  • Instead, it’s comprised of five—Sani Beach, Sani Asterias, Porto Sani, Sani Dunes, and Sani Club—stretched out across a slip of sandy beach backed by pine forests on the northwestern Aegean.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Blue crabs and crawfish are sourced from Louisiana, while shellfish such as oysters, Manila clams and cherrystone clams arrive from waters stretching from the East Coast to Asia.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of stretch
Verb
  • And day by day, play by play, Dunnigan is striving to improve.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
  • These steps are consistent with any institution of excellence that is constantly striving for improvement.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of strive
Verb
  • Mockingbird works to push Vietnamese and Southeast Asian films into markets outside their home territories.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The Tarrant County Commissioners Court agenda for Tuesday notably does not include the resolution, but Lawrence said the group will keep pushing for the resolution through public comment.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of push
Verb
  • The payouts combine unpaid overtime, reimbursement for housing illegally deducted from their pay and hefty damages personally sought by investigating Prosecutor Paolo Storari, Brigatti said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
  • When a lobbyist for former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar — an electoral opponent of Tinubu — filed an amicus brief, Greenspan sought to make clear that the two were not working together.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of seek
Verb
  • In Busan, the team is looking for co-producers, financing and pre-sales, and hopes to test how a Malaysian story can connect with audiences from other cultures.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The government would license these groups and authorize them to test whether AI companies meet various safety criteria.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of test
Verb
  • As the wife’s memory fades, the film watches love, loneliness and strain settle into the family’s daily routines.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The project strained their friendship, so McCollum promised to help Borello find a house that was just as nice.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of strain
Verb
  • Palo Alto Networks did that after buying [Israeli startup] CyberArk, but why would most companies bother?
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • That woman was truly unbothered, a term tossed around online, but the literal act of not being bothered is impossible for most people beyond the quirkiest, like my onetime neighbor, or maybe Fran Lebowitz.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of bother

Phrases Containing try

Browse Nearby Words

truthfulness
try
trying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Try.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/try. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about try

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