retry

British  

/ riːˈtraɪ /

verb

1. (tr) to try again (a case already determined); give a new trial to

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Explanation

In law, to hold another trial for a case is to retry it. It's not legal in the U.S. to retry a defendant for a crime after she's been found innocent. A judge might decide to retry a case if the jury can't come to a unanimous decision, or if a jury member is found to be biased. And when the defendant in a case is found guilty, they can appeal the decision in the hopes that the court will retry it, sometimes using a new attorney or new evidence. You probably won't use this verb to literally mean "try again" — you're more likely to say reattempt.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

retry

Conveniently, the decision came when it was too late to retry Mr. da Silva before the statute of limitations ran out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

If the jury does not reach a verdict and Judge Sullivan declares a mistrial, prosecutors would need to decide whether to retry the case.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

He’ll likely consult with others in his office, but ultimately it’s his decision to make about whether to retry the case.

From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026

Current New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams declined to retry the case, clearing the way for Brooks to file his compensation claim two years later.

From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026

"Judge, they're the ones that are trying to retry this case and we need our people inside," Valeska countered.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson