try

verb
UK: /traɪ/
US: /traɪ/

  1. To make an effort to do something.

    1. I try to learn English every day. [ ] [ ]
    2. If you try your best, you might just succeed in this difficult task. [ ] [ ]

  2. To test something to see if it works or if you like it.

    1. Can I try this shirt on, please? [ ] [ ]
    2. Before committing, try to use a trial version of the software to see if it fits your needs. [ ] [ ]

  3. To attempt to achieve something.

    1. They try to win every game. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company will try to expand its market share through aggressive advertising campaigns. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

experiment effort endeavor attempt undertake test strive
try noun

  1. An attempt or effort to do something.

    1. Give it a try and see. [ ] [ ]
    2. After many tries, she finally managed to solve the complex puzzle independently. [ ] [ ]
try noun

  1. A test of the quality, value, or usefulness of something.

    1. This is a try for the new system. [ ] [ ]
    2. The new approach was seen as a try to modernize the outdated process. [ ] [ ]
try transitive-verb

  1. To hear a court case.

    1. The court will try him tomorrow. [ ] [ ]
    2. The judge will try the case involving the theft of valuable artwork. [ ] [ ]
try transitive-verb

  1. To put someone on trial in court to decide whether they are guilty or not.

    1. They will try the suspect soon. [ ] [ ]
    2. The authorities will try to bring all the perpetrators to justice as quickly as possible. [ ] [ ]
try transitive-verb

  1. To find out something by experiment or by questioning.

    1. Try asking a local person. [ ] [ ]
    2. Before jumping to conclusions, try to find out the root cause of the problem. [ ] [ ]
try transitive-verb

  1. To cause problems or be annoying to someone.

    1. Don't try me right now. [ ] [ ]
    2. His constant complaints really try everyone's patience in the office environment. [ ] [ ]
try noun

  1. A score in rugby worth five points, made by touching the ball down behind the opponents' goal line.

    1. He scored a great try. [ ] [ ]
    2. The player's impressive try secured the victory for his team in the last minutes of the match. [ ] [ ]
try phrasal-verb

  1. try something on - to put on a piece of clothing to see if it fits or suits you.

    1. Try on this hat first. [ ] [ ]
    2. Before you buy that dress, try it on to make sure it's the right size and style. [ ] [ ]

  2. try something out - to use something or do something in order to discover if it is effective, useful, etc.

    1. Try out this new pen. [ ] [ ]
    2. The software company is encouraging users to try out their new features and provide feedback. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "try" in English means: To make an effort to do something., To test something to see if it works or if you like it., To attempt to achieve something..

The phonetic transcription of "try" is /traɪ/ in British English and /traɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "try": experiment, effort, endeavor, attempt, undertake, test, strive.

Example usage of "try": "I try to learn English every day.". More examples on the page.