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Meaning & use

try

verb, noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/traɪ/
US/traɪ/

Meanings

  1. verbtransitive or intransitive

    To make an effort to do something, especially when it may be hard or may not succeed.

    Grammar: Followed by to plus a verb: try to finish; or used alone: she tried hard.

    Patterns

    • try to do something
    • try hard
    • try and do something

    I'll try to arrive before seven.

    She tried hard, but the lid would not budge.

    He tried to explain, but nobody listened.

  2. verbtransitive

    To use or test something to find out whether you like it or whether it works.

    Grammar: Takes an object or an -ing form: try the soup, try restarting the computer.

    Patterns

    • try something
    • try doing something

    Try the soup and tell me what you think.

    If the printer jams, try turning it off and on.

    We tried a new route to work this morning.

  3. verbtransitivelegal

    To judge a person or case in a court of law.

    Grammar: Often in the passive: he was tried for fraud.

    Patterns

    • try someone for something
    • be tried for something

    The man will be tried for theft next month.

    The court tried the case in two days.

    She was tried and found not guilty.

  4. nouncountable

    An attempt to do something.

    Grammar: Often with have, give or take: give it a try.

    Patterns

    • have a try
    • give something a try
    • worth a try

    Give it a try; you might like it.

    That was a good try, even if you missed.

    It's worth a try before calling a plumber.

  5. nouncountablesport

    In rugby, a score made by putting the ball on the ground over the opponents' goal line.

    Grammar: A sport term: score a try.

    Patterns

    • score a try
    • a try in the corner

    She scored a try in the final minute.

    The winger dived over for a try in the corner.

    A converted try is worth seven points.

Word forms

third person singulartries
past tensetried
past participletried
-ing formtrying
plural (noun)tries

Common combinations

try your best
Just try your best and don't worry about the result.
try hard
He tried hard to stay calm.
give it a try
I'll give it a try on Saturday.
try on (clothes)
Try on the jacket before you buy it.
try out
She will try out for the school play.
try again
If it fails, try again later.

Synonyms and how they differ

attempt
Attempt is more formal and suits serious or difficult efforts, while try is the everyday word.
endeavor
Endeavor is formal and suggests a long, serious effort, so it feels heavier than try.
test
Test focuses on checking how well something works, while try can also mean simply sampling.
sample
Sample only applies to tasting or experiencing a small part, which is narrower than try.

Opposites

give upsucceed

Word family

trying adjective
difficult and tiring to deal with
tried adjective
tested and proven reliable, as in tried and tested
trial noun
a test or a legal hearing
retry verb
to try again, especially in computing or law
try-out noun
a test of someone's ability, such as for a team

Commonly confused: try or try and? try or attempt?

try vs try and

Try and is common in informal speech (try and finish), but try to is preferred in formal writing.

try vs attempt

Attempt is the formal partner of try. It usually takes to plus a verb, and it sounds stiff in casual speech.

Practice

If you want to see whether you like a new food, you can say 'Why don't you ______ it?'

Make it your own

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