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try

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noun

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
Nico Williams will try to get Athletic Club's offensive attack going in this matchup. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025 President Donald Trump and his allies in power are trying to erect an authoritarian Mafia state like the one Vladimir Putin and his cronies established in Russia. Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
Second-year star Jung Hoo Lee has three multi-hit tries in his last five. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025 That mentality is on full display in the plot of Smash, in which the creative team of a musical tries to right a sinking ship. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for try
Recent Examples of Synonyms for try
Verb
  • Dark hardwood floors stretch over to the formal dining area, which sits opposite the chef’s kitchen.
    Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Because your stomach stretches, moves, and flexes more than other areas, Ellis notes, navel piercings can be more prone to irritation than other piercings and can have a longer healing process.
    Marianne Mychaskiw, Allure, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Other ships passing through the area also reported seeing bodies but didn’t attempt to recover them.
    Greg Daugherty, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025
  • It’s crammed with posters, cassette tapes, a Buddha incense holder, and even a guitar with a moth design on its neck, which means Joel at least attempted to honor his promise in the finale.
    Sara Netzley, EW.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Are Puerto Rican filmmakers pushing for this to change?
    Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
  • There are ways to push back against the horrors, but even the most ardent activist among us can’t be protesting 24/7.
    James Factora, Them., 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • If a cell harbors many black morphogens, for example, and a neighboring cell harbors few of them, then the molecules strive to move such that they are distributed as evenly as possible.
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2025
  • The school could strive for excellence and integrity while doing fewer things.
    Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Toxic algae bloom possibly related to Palisades Fire sickens marine life 02:54 Stephanie Wilcox said her toddler's pediatrician recommended testing their home.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • National Geographic/Gary Moyes The NatGeo series focuses on some of the fresh insights gained from analyzing the digital scan, enabling Titanic researchers like Stephenson to test key details from eyewitness accounts.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Newsweek sought email comment from the Department of Education and the Department of Government Efficiency.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
  • From the beginning of his political career, Bukele sought to project a forcefulness that would stand in contrast to El Salvador’s seemingly innocuous, ineffective political class.
    Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Hempstead noted that those who lose coverage due to work requirements would strain hospital systems, as uninsured people seek health care through other means, such as the emergency room or through charity care.
    Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The psychological tension deepens as Elisa and her husband Fred are scrutinized by law enforcement and media, their family strained by mounting secrets.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Because Congress never bothered to write a law to establish it.
    Jay Cost, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Chicago Bears - Will Campbell, OL, LSU Will Campbell has fallen a bit due to his shorter arm length, but that likely won't bother Ben Johnson.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Try.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/try. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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