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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
Air Leaks at the Bottom of a Door For a sizeable gap and a heavy draft, try a door sweep. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025 Yonhap reported that the apartment fire allegedly began when the suspect allegedly used a lighter and hairspray to try and kill a cockroach inside her apartment, according to police. Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
But, like, has anybody ever started to ride a bike on the first try? Dave Smith, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025 On the third try, Sean Payton’s team ended up on the winning side. Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for try
Recent Examples of Synonyms for try
Verb
  • His latest film is the drama Sentimental Value, about a father attempting to reconnect with his daughters, which Skarsgård starred in and executive produced.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The France international attempted 11 shots, matching the second-highest tally by a player in the league since the start of 2018-19 (behind Salah’s 12 against Brighton & Hove Albion in March 2024).
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Food banks and pantries, meanwhile, have already seen an uptick in need but resources are stretched thin.
    Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Plus, the legs are curved, providing more space to stretch out.
    Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Sweet Vincent, written and directed by Ciara Boniface, centers a professional jazz musician reconciling with an old flame during a pivotal performance, both haunted by grief and striving for connection.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The communique said Beijing will strive to improve people’s welfare and the social security system, but did not provide details on how Beijing intends to achieve that or where the funds would come from.
    Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Altria The parent company of tobacco brand Marlboro and one of the country’s largest tobacco firms has pushed for less FDA oversight of e-cigarettes.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
  • As Lloyd Kelly passes to Andrea Cambiaso, Valverde pushes up from right-back while Jude Bellingham and Tchouameni track Teun Koopmeiners and Khephren Thuram.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Long a linchpin of oil and gas supply, the Kingdom now seeks to be just as dominant in renewables — from solar and wind to green hydrogen.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Long an obstacle to humans seeking to continue down the river, the Falls of the Ohio offer a peek into prehistoric life.
    Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • An internal investigation by Kenvue Brands LLC, the company that owns Neutrogena, revealed the brand’s Makeup Remover Ultra-Soft Cleansing Towelettes tested positive for a bacteria known as pluralibacter gergoviae, per information released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Given the Frenchman’s frightening form — already up to 18 goals for club and country this season — expect to see Mbappe looking to test the millimetric precision of the Barcelona high line once again.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Shake hard over ice for 8 to 10 seconds, and strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
  • More than 150,000 new Rohingya refugees have arrived in the camps in the past two years, UNHCR says, straining the tight resources.
    Rebecca Wright, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Not the kind of thrift store that’s actually thrifty, but the kind of thrift store that doesn’t have any price tags because the people who can afford to shop there don’t need to bother themselves with price tags.
    Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Being a double Viking with Swedish and Norman blood on each side of my family, the cold never bothered me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Try.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/try. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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